


7 Years To Forever

by orange_creamsicle



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/F, How Do I Tag, Mentions of Harry Potter character(s) - Freeform, Multi, Twice-centric, but other idols also appear, fluff is good for the heart, fluff only, friends to lovers kinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:28:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26687434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orange_creamsicle/pseuds/orange_creamsicle
Summary: Just 9 girls navigating through the 7 craziest and most memorable years of their lives, making friends (and maybe more) along the way./Or the Twice Hogwarts AU that no-one asked for but I absolutely needed.
Relationships: Chou Tzuyu/Son Chaeyoung, Hirai Momo/Kim Dahyun, Hirai Momo/Kim Dahyun/Minatozaki Sana, Hirai Momo/Minatozaki Sana, Im Nayeon/Yoo Jeongyeon, Kim Dahyun/Minatozaki Sana, Myoui Mina/Park Jisoo | Jihyo
Comments: 42
Kudos: 174





	1. A Single Step Forward (Nayeon)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Most young wizards look forward to their first day at Hogwarts. Nayeon does not.

September 1st is always a magical day in the Wizarding community. On this day, Platform 9 ¾ is packed with wizards young and old, all ready for the start of a new school year at the beloved Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All across the platform, students give their teary-eyed parents fleeting hugs, intent on boarding the train with their friends. Older students walk around with an air of experience, greeting each other and laughing loudly. 

But the real magic is in the eyes of the young wizards, those entering their first year. Purebloods and Muggleborns alike share the same look of wonder in their innocent, starry eyes as their eyes alight on the regal red engine of the Hogwarts Express, sharing the same giddy excitement to finally be going to this prestigious school. 

All except for Nayeon. 

In a sea of students greeting their friends, she stands isolated with her parents, clinging to her mother’s leg, her face buried in her long coat. Her father bustles back, just having put her things in an empty compartment, to find his daughter silently crying into the grey fabric. 

“Nayeon, honey, you need to get on the train.” Her mother says softly, her hand tracing comforting patterns through her daughter’s long dark brown hair. 

“I don’t want to.” Nayeon hiccups, barely audible through the fabric. 

“You’re going to miss it. You have to let go.” 

“I don’t want to.” Nayeon says again, this time even softer. Her parents exchange a quick look and her father turns back to her, kneeling down and gently extricating his daughter from her grip on her mother’s waist. He puts his hands on his daughter’s shoulders and brushes her hair away from her teary eyes. 

“Nayeon, you need to go.” 

“But dad–”

“Nayeon. You’ve been waiting for this moment your whole life, I know it. You can’t give it up now.” 

Nayeon knows it’s true. She’s dreamed about this day her whole life. The day when she would finally get her own chance to go to Hogwarts and become a real wizard, the start of her own journey to make a mark on the Wizarding World. As a Pureblood, she’s been preparing for this moment for as long as she can remember. But she didn’t think it’d be this hard to let go. To take a single step and enter the unknown, a dark place that Nayeon doesn’t think she wants to know. 

“I know you’re scared,” Her father says, almost as if he can read her mind. Nayeon opens her eyes and sees warmth and, more importantly, understanding in her father’s chocolate brown eyes. “I was too. I was terrified. We all were, I think,” To this, Nayeon sees her mother nodding along with her father’s words. “When it was my turn to go to Hogwarts, my older brother had to drag me onto the train kicking and screaming. And that first week away was hard. But it got better. It always does. And it will for you too.”

Nayeon nods, knowing there’s no way she can escape now, gaining comfort and strength from her father’s words. She wraps her father in a tight, teary hug, saying all of her final goodbyes. Then she does the same with her mom. When she lets go, she’s ready. 

She wishes her parents ‘goodbye’, promises to write, and steps onto the Hogwarts Express. She finds her trunk and cage in the still (thankfully) empty compartment where her father left them and sits down just as the train starts to move ever so slightly out of the station to its destination. If she looks past the steam near the ground, she can catch her parents waving at her window as it fades from their view. 

[On the platform, Nayeon’s parents watch solemnly as their daughter fades from their view. 

“It’ll be hard for her.” Her mother murmurs. 

“It’s hard for all of us.” Her father answers, turning to his wife.

“But it’ll be harder for her,” She says, her eyes still fixed on the barely visible back of the train. “Because of what we’ve done. Who we are, and who we’ve taught her to be.” 

“We’ve taught her to be her best self. There’s nothing wrong with that,” Her mother finally turns to her father, who can see the tears shining in his wife’s eyes as she worries about her daughter. He wipes them away gently. “Nayeon’s strong. She’s stronger than we know. She gets that from you.”

Nayeon’s mother shudders down tears, but nods. 

“She’ll be okay.”]

\--

The first years huddle together in a hallway outside of the Great Hall. 

Most of the purebloods and halfbloods talk with their friends, having already known about Hogwarts and therefore not as outwardly impressed as the others. In contrast, the Muggleborns take in their surroundings with awe, gaping as they spot the ceiling of the Great Hall, which mirrors the real sky, or listening intently to some of the more experienced first years talk about the houses, their eyes sparkling with interest. 

Nayeon, still missing her parents, chooses to listen instead of talk, this time to a newfound friend, a girl by the name of Jisoo who has chattered incessantly ever since Nayeon sat down next to her on the boat across the Black Lake. 

She hears low muttering behind her and chooses to ignore it until there’s a hand forcefully against her shoulder, spinning her around. 

“Of course, Im, of course you’re talking with Mudbloods,” It’s Avery, son of the Death Eater. Nayeon knows him well, his family is just as much Pureblood Slytherin as hers. “How dare you? Tainting your blood? Fraternizing with them? You know, when my father gets out of Azkaban, he’ll make you pay. He’ll do to you what he did to them.” Avery makes a threatening move on Jisoo, who cowers in fear and confusion. As much as she’s afraid, Nayeon won’t stand for it. Her parents taught her to stand up to injustice and believe in what was right. 

She clenches her fists and takes a single step to stand between Avery and Jisoo, pulling her wand out from a pocket in her robes. 

“Try it.”

\--

Nayeon’s used to attention. As a descendant of an old Wizarding family with an infamous past, she’s prepared for everyone to at least know her family’s name wherever she goes. 

The Sorting is something different entirely. 

It seems to be going smoothly, at least at the start. Nayeon just waits in anxious anticipation for Headmistress McGonagall to get to the ‘I’s, to get to her name. 

“Im, Nayeon.” 

The Great Hall quiets down. Heads turn and students murmur, and Nayeon is suddenly aware just how she is portrayed in the minds of Hogwarts students. Some of the younger years eye her with something akin to fear in their eyes, while the older students can barely hide their looks of disgust. The only people who seem to not hold these grudges are the Slytherins, but from the way Avery talks with some of them at the table, no doubt recounting the events in the hallway, their faces are slowly changing from kind familiarity or excitement to anger. 

It’s not like she did anything wrong. Nayeon is just as innocent as any child can be, but the weight of her last name once again precedes anything she will ever do. The Ims were well-known supporters of the Dark Lord. Everyone knows about Nayeon’s uncle, who infamously went straight to Azkaban after the second war for his track record of more than 100 Muggles and Muggleborns murdered. Nayeon’s own parents were Death Eaters. How could she be anything else? 

What everyone doesn’t know is that Nayeon’s parents were forced into joining hands with Voldemort because of their last name. They never believed any of his rhetoric and actively disagreed with it. During the first and second wars they fed information to the Order of the Phoenix, risking their lives for a better cause. And yes, Nayeon takes after her parents. Not as a Death Eater, but as a firm believer in what is good and right and moral. 

But no-one knows that. Everyone still thinks she’s a Death Eater. 

Nayeon takes a shaky breath as she steps out of line, squares her shoulders, and approaches the Sorting Hat with as much dignity as she can. 

_She’ll show them_. 

Nayeon puts the Sorting Hat on her head. Even before it has fully settled on her head, the rip in the cap opens and proclaims “SLYTHERIN!” for everyone to hear. For everyone to reaffirm. ‘Yes, Im Nayeon is a Death Eater. Just like her uncle. Just like her parents.’

The Slytherins who haven’t yet heard Avery’s message clap and cheer wildly and Nayeon’s heart sinks past her stomach. Still, she holds her head high as she approaches the Slytherin table and takes a seat next to a pretty raven-haired girl with a prefect’s badge shining on her robes just above the green and silver snake. 

“Welcome to Slytherin, Nayeon. I’m Joohyun.” She says with a smile. 

Nayeon just nods back and barely manages to turn up the corners of her mouth. Luckily for her the next name is called and the Great Hall quiets down again. 

After a few names, it’s Jisoo’s turn. “Kim, Jisoo.” The Sorting Hat takes about 15 seconds before it announces “RAVENCLAW!”. Nayeon laments the loss of her friend to her last name. There's no way she’ll keep being close to her, not when there are so many people who think so lowly of her in all of the houses. 

She’s pensive through the rest of the Sorting, barely registering any of the names that come up. Either way, she’ll still be stuck in Slytherin with Avery and the rest of them. It doesn’t matter. It’s not going to change who she is. 

_She’ll show them_. 

The Sorting ends and dinner starts, but when everyone starts talking to those around them, Nayeon is noticeably left out of the conversation. Her own thoughts are going to have to suffice for now. She’s so lost in her own mind that it takes her almost a minute to notice that Joohyun has asked her a question and is looking at her expectantly for an answer. 

“Sorry, what?” 

“I asked if you were alright. You’re barely eating.” 

“I’m okay, thanks.” Nayeon says automatically, wondering why this girl cares how she is. She’s sure in a few days Joohyun will be against her just like all of the other Slytherins. She turns her eyes back to her barely-touched plate of food.

Joohyun won’t give up that easily though. “You should eat, it’ll be ages until the Halloween feast and real food again.” She says as she digs through her bowl of delicious-looking tteokbokki. When Nayeon doesn’t answer, she lowers her voice and moves closer to the younger girl. 

“I heard what you did.” 

There, the truth comes out. Joohyun, who is a Pureblood Bae, must surely hate her guts. There’s no doubt as to what this is about, but just in case, Nayeon turns with a faux-quizzical look at the prefect, who elaborates. 

“Back before the Sorting. In the hallway.”

Now it’s clear what she’s talking about. “Oh.”

“It was almost impossible not to, what with how Avery was practically shouting down the table,” Joohyun must see Nayeon practically shut down after she says this because she adds on to her statement. “You did good.”

“You... _agree_ with what I did?” Nayeon asks breathlessly, her eyes shooting back to the prefect, who just nods. 

“It’s about time someone put them in their place.” 

“But you’re a pureblood.” 

“I’ve never cared about that. Blood status, heritage, any of it. Does it really matter how much of your blood is magical and how much of it is not? There are so many great wizards that aren’t purebloods. Besides that, one of my best friends is muggle-born and she’s an amazing witch. So I learned a long time ago to not trust any of that stuff.” Joohyun says matter-of-factly. 

Nayeon stares at her new unnie with a newfound sense of respect. Joohyun, like her, is from a Pureblood Slytherin family. The Baes are almost as old as the Ims and just as respected, but for a Bae heir to be so progressive, even in these times, Nayeon is surprised. There’s someone else like her out there. It’s enough to bring hope back to her heart, hope that this year won’t be as bad as she made it out to be. Because at least now she’s got someone on her side. 

_She’ll show them._

“Thank you, unnie.” Nayeon says. She’s really not sure what to say, how to repay this gift that Joohyun has given her. 

“I’m just glad there are more of us now,” Joohyun says with a soft smile. “It’ll make this house easier to deal with.” Though it seems she realizes she said the wrong thing fast; the happiness in Nayeon’s eyes quickly fades when she remembers that the rest of her house is bound to hate her. 

“Don’t worry, I’m here.” Joohyun says comfortingly.

“It’s not that, unnie, I just don’t feel like I belong in this house. I’m not like the rest of them.”

“Do you have to be? Like the rest of them, I mean. Do you have to be a dark wizard to be in Slytherin?” 

This makes Nayeon think. 

“I think it’s better to be different,” Joohyun says. “Slytherin is all about ambition, about becoming something greater than what you are at the start. They’re all following the same ideas, the same rhetoric. They’ll never learn, never improve. But you’re better than that.”

Nayeon talks with Joohyun for the rest of the feast and warms up to the older Slytherin. By the time dinner is over and Nayeon stands up to follow Joohyun to the dungeons, the angry stares from her fellow Slytherins and the fear from the rest of the school don’t bother her nearly as much. 

Nayeon settles into her bunk in the Slytherin dormitory and she’s calmer than she’s been all day. As Nayeon lets the faint sound of swishing water from the Great Lake lull her to sleep, one last, driving thought fills her head. 

  
_She’ll show them_.


	2. Overthinking (Jeongyeon)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeongyeon has some regrets.

“Can’t believe my little sister is finally going to Hogwarts!” Seungyeon says as she playfully ruffles her younger sister’s hair. Jeongyeon tries to run away from her grasp but Seungyeon’s longer legs let her catch up easily. The surrounding Muggles at King’s Cross Station watch the two of them with warmth. 

“Unnie, stop!” Jeongyeon groans. “You’re messing up my hair!” 

“Just making sure everyone is used to seeing it,” Seungyeon says with a smirk. “Merlin knows you’ll be looking like this every morning.” 

“Very funny. Can you see me laughing?” Jeongyeon shoots back at her older sister, who just smiles. The two have been exchanging quips like this ever since Jeongyeon could talk and they know nothing is meant to hurt. 

The Yoos soon reach the entrance to Platform 9 ¾. Jeongyeon, who was eager throughout the journey, stops at the sight of the familiar barrier. She’s passed through almost every year for as long as she can remember, accompanying her parents as they sent off Seungyeon to Hogwarts and every year Jeongyeon waited for the year where it would finally be her turn to pass through, cart laden with her own trunk and cage, her own wand in her pocket. And now it’s finally here. 

“You ready, honey?” Jeongyeon’s dad looks down at his younger daughter with an encouraging smile. 

“I don’t want Jeongyeon unnie to go!” Chaeyoung whines cutely, clinging to the young witch’s leg with all the strength an eight-year-old can muster. 

“Don’t worry, Chaengie,” Jeongyeon says soothingly. “I won’t be gone for long. And it’s only three years until you’ll be coming too,” Jeongyeon’s mother gently takes Chaeyoung in her arms as Jeongyeon smiles up at her father. 

“Yep!” 

“Alright. Let’s count. One...two...three!” All at once, the family takes a step forward into the barrier and passes through onto the busy, bustling platform. 

\-- 

“What house do you think you’ll get into?” 

The Hogwarts Express is well on its way towards the school and Jeongyeon is settled comfortably in a compartment with other first and second years. 

“Gryffindor,” Jeongyeon says. Would she really be anywhere else? Everyone in her family has been sorted into Gryffindor and her sister was a well known Gryffindor prefect and Head Girl. She’s basically guaranteed to be in the prestigious house. “Though I would really be fine with any house.” 

“Oh come on Yoo! You know you’re going to be in Gryffindor,” Says a boy sitting in the corner. Jeongyeon doesn’t know his name, but she remembers seeing him at Platform 9 ¾ in the past. Apparently his parents fought alongside Jeongyeon’s in the second war, though Jeongyeon can’t remember seeing them at Order meetings. “We’re basically all guaranteed a spot.” 

“As long as I’m not in Slytherin I’ll be happy,” His friend says. “Otherwise I think I’ll be disowned.”

At that moment, a knock sounds on the glass of the compartment door. With everyone else, Jeongyeon turns her head and sees a girl with long brown hair standing outside the door. Like the rest of them, she’s wearing her black Hogwarts robes, but with a few noticeable additions: a silver and green snake at the chest and a matching tie around her neck. Jeongyeon thinks she spots a pair of bunny teeth peeking out between her lips. 

“C-can I sit with you?” The girl asks tentatively. “My compartment is full.” 

Jeongyeon opens her mouth to respond, but she’s beaten to it by someone else, the boy in the corner. “No, you can’t. It’s obviously full,” The boy gets up to his feet. He’s taller than the Slytherin girl, even though Jeongyeon figures she’s at least a year older than him. “And even if it wasn’t full, we wouldn’t let you sit with us.” He looks fiercely at the badge on her chest. 

The other boy gets to his feet and joins his friend, looking at the Slytherin girl with contempt. “Aren’t you Im Nayeon?” 

There’s a beat, but Jeongyeon recognizes the name. Just not the way that the other students in the compartment do. 

[Old images flash through her head. Voldemort has been dead for two years. It’s her first time at Number 12 Grimmauld Place and she clings to her mother’s leg. 

An older girl comes up to her, a girl with big eyes and a bunny smile. “I’m Nayeon. Will you be my friend?” 

“Yes! I’ll be your best friend!” 3-year-old Jeongyeon responds.]

She remembers seeing Nayeon a few more times, but after the Order stopped officially meeting, she forgot about her. 

“Like the Death Eaters?” 

No, that isn’t right. From what she remembers and what her parents tell her, Nayeon’s parents were undercover among the Death Eaters for the Order. They were some of the biggest heroes on the good side. 

“Yeah, now you’re definitely not allowed in our cabin. _Murderer._ ”

Nayeon was already nervous when she first knocked on the cabin door, but now she looks on the verge of tears. Cowering, she backs out of the cabin and dashes away, her head down. 

Jeongyeon gets out of her seat. 

“What are you doing, Yoo?”

Jeongyeon isn’t sure herself, but she knows that Nayeon is hurting and she feels the need to apologize, to say something to take away the pain the girl is feeling. It’s been a decade since the second war ended and yet there are still people who suffer unjustly from the after-effects. 

But the compartment is crowded. By the time Jeongyeon can make her way up past all of the suitcases and owl cages to the door, Nayeon is long gone. 

“Yoo? Don’t tell me you’re going after that filth.” 

Jeongyeon pauses. Is Nayeon really worth it? Yes, the girl doesn’t deserve to be treated the way she is, but Jeongyeon also doesn’t want to lose her new friends for a girl she barely remembers from her early childhood, no matter who it is. 

“Just closing the door. We’re full anyways.” Jeongyeon says as she closes the door and turns around, trying desperately to look normal and nonchalant as she heads back to her seat.

Nayeon is a Slytherin. And Jeongyeon will surely be sorted into Gryffindor. They can never be friends. 

\--

A sinking feeling builds up in Jeongyeon’s stomach for the entirety of her first week at Hogwarts. 

It’s gone pretty well, all things considered. She’s a Gryffindor, as expected, and so far she’s enjoying being in her house. The common room is cozy, warm, and welcoming; the merrily dancing flames in the fireplace never fail to calm her down after a long day. 

Jeongyeon’s keeping up with classes so far and enjoying them, though they’ve only just started on basic spells and potions. Her housemates are really nice too: she got lost on the way to the History of Magic classroom and a Gryffindor third year named Sooyoung showed her the way. Plus some of the older students greet her in the hallways, having been familiar with her older sister.

But in the back of her mind, Jeongyeon only really thinks about one student: Nayeon. Every time she passes the older girl in a corridor on her way to a class or spots her out on the grounds, Jeongyeon can’t help but think back to the incident on the train. 

Nayeon had looked so lonely then, so lost. Maybe Jeongyeon couldn’t really see it then, but now whenever her memory trails back to the older girl opening the compartment door, all she sees reflected back in those chocolate brown eyes is sadness. Whenever she passes Nayeon in the corridors on the way to a class or spots her out on the grounds alone, Jeongyeon sees that same sadness. 

She thinks shallowly that it isn’t really her fault that Nayeon is hurting. She didn’t say anything back on the train, after all. But she knows, somewhere deep down, that she feels responsible. That she regrets what she did (or didn’t do). 

Vaguely through the fog of her thoughts, Jeongyeon thinks she hears a warning that pulls her back down to earth. She vaguely realizes that she’s stepped too close to the Spiky Bushes that they were supposed to be containing in Greenhouse 1 and she quickly jumps to the side as a giant yellow spike shoots out from the little plant and pierces through the air where she was just standing. 

“Yoo, pay attention!” Professor Sprout reprimands from across the greenhouse. “The spikes aren’t too sharp, but I’m sure Madam Pomfrey doesn’t need to deal with yet another injured student. Not with all of the 4th years she’s currently taking care of from the Potions fiasco.” 

“Sorry, Professor,” Jeongyeon says sheepishly, before turning her attention back to the plants. 

The two Hufflepuff first years she’s working with on the bush, who have been chattering incessantly for the whole class, whom Jeongyeon chose to politely ignore after introducing herself, finally grab her attention.  
  


“Wow, that was close!” One of them says, a girl with black hair and bangs who Jeongyeon thinks introduced herself as Momo. 

The other one, Sana, a cheerful hazel-haired girl, agrees emphatically. “That spike was scary! I’m glad it didn’t hit you.” 

“Me too,” Jeongyeon says. She turns her attention back to working on the bush with the two of them and nothing out of the ordinary occurs for the rest of the period. 

As the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff first years head back up to the castle, Momo and Sana decide to tag along with Jeongyeon. She rather likes the company: the two already seem close despite their claims that they only met at the Hogwarts Express, and Jeongyeon quickly finds herself integrated into their little circle. _It’s funny what scary experiences can do when making friends_ , she thinks to herself. _If only I could figure out how to make things right with Nayeon…_

“What’s bothering you?” Sana abruptly says. Jeongyeon looks up from the path to meet her eyes and notices that despite their innocence, there’s also a keenness that she didn’t originally expect. From the way Momo startles at the question, she’s sure Momo is still surprised at Sana’s perception. 

“Huh? Um, nothing really…” Jeongyeon says. Sana doesn’t look convinced, and Jeongyeon realizes just how good she is at reading and empathizing with people. This might be the perfect opportunity to pick her brains. “Actually, there is something. What do I do if- if there’s someone that I want to make friends with, but I don’t know how?” 

“Hmm, well, the first thing I would do is go up to them and say hi, right, Momoring?” 

“But what if she hates me?”

“How could anyone hate you, Jeongyeon?” Momo says incredulously. “You’re our friend, and you’re nice to everyone. Plus it’s only been a week. You’ve already made enemies?” 

“No! She’s not my enemy!”

“Then why do you think she hates you?” Sana asks. 

Jeongyeon thinks about this. “I did something that hurt her.” 

“Then you go up to her and say you’re sorry and that you want to be friends.” Sana says.

“But that’s never going to work!” Jeongyeon says, though she’s slightly unnerved by the lack of doubt in Sana’s voice and eyes. _Is it?_ “I need to find some other way. Maybe I’ll send her an owl anonymously-”

“Jeongyeonnie,” Sana cuts in. “Stop overthinking it. Just go up to her and apologize. That’s all you need to do.” 

There’s a sense of finality in Sana’s voice that makes Jeongyeon want to believe her. 

\--

That night, while having a dinner of shepherd’s pie in the Great Hall, Jeongyeon raises her head from the conversation with some fellow Gryffindors and happens to look directly across the room to a lone figure at the Slytherin table. It’s Nayeon. Usually she hangs out with Joohyun, one of the Slytherin prefects, and Jennie, a first year, though today she’s alone. And she looks characteristically sad. 

The dam breaks. Jeongyeon can’t hold it in any longer. 

She pushes her half-finished plate away and excuses herself from the Gryffindor table. Her housemates mutter confusedly and call out to her, but Jeongyeon doesn’t look back. 

Before she knows it, she’s standing right in front of Nayeon. There’s a moment of hesitation; Jeongyeon questions if she should really do this. But all of that goes out of the window when Nayeon looks at her.

“What do you want?” 

_The first thing I would do is go up and say hi._

“Hi, I’m Yoo Jeongyeon, I’m a first-year.” 

Nayeon frowns, her face morphs into recognition. Jeongyeon can tell that Nayeon remembers her. It’s now or never. 

_Stop overthinking. Just go up to her and apologize. That’s all you need to do._

“I just wanted to say sorry. For that day on the train.”

“You don’t have to apologize, you didn’t do anything.”

“No, I didn’t. That’s why I’m apologizing. Those things they said to you… they weren’t right. I should have told them to stop.”

“I get it. They’re your friends and I’m not.” Nayeon says flatly. Jeongyeon’s heart breaks a little. 

“They’re not my friends,” She says quickly. “My friends are Momo and Sana and…” Jeongyeon pauses. _This is it_. She takes a deep breath in. “And you.” 

Nayeon’s eyes widen. 

“I want to be friends with you, Nayeon-ssi.” She extends her hand out towards the second-year Slytherin. “Will you be my friend?” 

There’s a beat. Then two. Nayeon doesn’t move, just stares at Jeongyeon’s outstretched hand. 

Then she slowly puts her own hand in Jeongyeon’s. She smiles slightly, then wider, her bunny teeth peeking out from her lips. 

“Yes. I’ll be your best friend."


	3. [EXTRA: Nayeon Year 2]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is something I found in my drafts that didn't end up making it into the story. Please enjoy!

It’s the first of October at Hogwarts, a month that everyone associates with the start of Hogwarts’s favorite sport: Quidditch. Right on time, a crowd of Slytherins surrounds the bulletin board in the dimly-lit common room, all chattering excitedly and pointing at a new announcement pinned up to the wall. 

_ Slytherin Quidditch Tryouts: October 5th at the Quidditch Pitch. Any position is welcome, though there are currently openings at Beater and Chaser. Refer questions concerning tryouts to Head of House Professor Slughorn or Quidditch Captain Joohyun Bae. _

Nayeon stares at the announcement. She’s debating trying out, she really is. For as long as she can remember, she’s been watching Quidditch. She sometimes flies out back in the field behind her house and her dad remarks that she’s got the makings of a pretty good Chaser. The two of them have even practiced a bit to improve her technique. 

There’s a little voice in the back of her mind telling her not to try out. That her housemates, who already hate her, would have no reason to support her and the Quidditch team if she was on it. That she’d be doing a disservice to Slytherin by making the team. 

Nayeon shakes the little voice away. Quidditch has always been one of her passions and enjoyments among the multitude of activities in the wizarding community. She’s not going to throw that away. Plus, Joohyun has been pushing her to join the team ever since her first year. As both a prefect and Slytherin’s new Quidditch captain, Joohyun, Nayeon is sure, will be on her side. Her words at the Sorting feast in her first year ring clear as a bell in Nayeon’s mind. 

_ She’ll show them. _

\--

“Ugh, I wish I was a second year!” Momo groans during breakfast, making her friends start. Momo’s usually quiet during breakfast, systematically inhaling her food while letting the other three talk. To see her not eat and instead look considerably distressed as she eyes her friends is almost funny to Nayeon. 

“Why’s that, Momoring?” Sana asks. 

“Quidditch!” The black-haired Hufflepuff responds frustratedly. “Seulgi-unnie told me she put up the announcement for tryouts this morning. I want to play!” 

Nayeon nods in agreement. She remembers how frustrating it was to not be able to play in her first year. Though she did also have a lot of other frustrations in her first year that distracted her from that disappointment as well. 

“Are you trying out for Slytherin’s team, unnie?” Jeongyeon asks over her toast. “I heard they’re the first team to have tryouts, something Sooyoung-unnie told me about Joohyun-unnie wanting to set an example for the rest of the houses.”

“Yeah,” Nayeon says. “They’re on the 5th I think.” 

“The 5th?” Sana yelps. “That’s so soon! All of the other teams gave at least a week’s notice.”

“Joohyun-unnie said that she wanted to get as much practice in with the new team as possible before the first game, so she pushed tryouts forward a few days.” 

“But don’t you need to practice before the tryouts?”

Nayeon nods. “I think I will, might just fly around a bit to get comfortable with it again.” 

“We can help! What position do you play, Nayeon-unnie?” Momo asks. 

“Chaser.”

“Then you’ll need someone to practice with. You can’t practice with the Quaffle on your own.”

Jeongyeon nods in agreement. “Yeah unnie, we can help. Momo’s a Chaser so you two can practice passing the Quaffle between each other, and I can be your Keeper. Sana, we might need your help with setting up some things…” The three first years put their heads together and continue talking excitedly about their prospective plan to help Nayeon. Though Nayeon does see something slightly concerning about said plan.

“But you guys don’t have your own brooms? And I’ve only got mine…” 

“Don’t worry about that, unnie,” Jeongyeon says, a mischievous glint in her eyes that makes Nayeon slightly worried but also admittedly adds a certain charm to her face. “Just meet us out by the Quidditch pitch at 7:30 on Wednesday night. We’ve got it all under control.” 

\--

“We don’t have it all under control,” Nayeon thinks she hears Jeongyeon say fiercely with her back turned, facing a dingy shed near the edges of the grounds. She seems to be tugging on something and Nayeon thinks she can hear slightly obscene muttering as the Gryffindor fumbles around. 

“Jeongyeon?” 

Jeongyeon spins around in a flash to face Nayeon, who is so surprised she almost loses her grip on the handle of her Nimbus 2001. “Nayeon-unnie!”

“Why are you… pulling on the latch on that door?” 

“Oh, no reason, I was just waiting for you,” Nayeon doesn’t believe this for a second; Jeongyeon looks almost panicked and doesn’t meet her eyes, clearly wanting to get back to her task. Nayeon looks behind the Gryffindor and peers into the darkness at the shed.  _ Isn’t that… _

“The old broomstick shed? Didn’t Momo and Sana say that Seulgi-unnie would lend them some brooms for the night?” Nayeon asks, confused. “Come to think of it, where are Momo and Sana?” 

“They were, but then Momo fell asleep during Astronomy today and missed the whole lesson. Professor Sinistra assigned her a remedial lesson tonight and made Sana stay with her to make sure she didn’t fall asleep again.” Jeongyeon sighs, then puts her face in her hands. “Whatever, we’ll just make do.” 

“You still need a broom.”

“Huh?” 

Nayeon smiles a bit. “If you’re going to be my Keeper, you’ll need a broom,” She brushes Jeongyeon out of the way to take a look at the latch, pulling her wand out of her back pocket. 

“But isn’t that against the rules?”

“Not if they don’t catch us,” Nayeon says, turning to the door. “ _ Alohomora _ .” The latch opens neatly, as if it had been unlocked with a key. Nayeon pulls the rickety door open slowly, so as not to attract as much attention from anyone patrolling the grounds. The shed is dimly-lit, but Nayeon can easily make out brooms lining the back wall. She walks in, coughing slightly as she inhales the dust that permeates the air and the ground, snags the broom that looks the least beaten-up, and passes it to Jeongyeon, carefully closing the shed door behind her. 

“It isn’t any Nimbus 2001, but it’ll do.” 

Nayeon almost has to suppress a laugh at the sight of Jeongyeon gaping at her. As usual, though, the younger girl quickly recovers from her shock. 

“I personally believe in the superiority of the Cleansweep Eleven, but you can believe what you want.” 

“The Cleansweep Eleven? Please.”

“0 to 70 miles in 10 seconds with built-in vibration control? The Nimbus doesn’t even touch a good Eleven.” 

“I could outfly anyone who uses a Cleansweep on my Nimbus with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back.” 

“It’s all about how good of a flier you are,” Jeongyeon says with a smirk. 

“Yah, Yoo Jeongyeon! How dare you! I’m a good flier.” 

“I bet I could outfly you and your Nimbus right now with one of these ratty old brooms.” The Gryffindor says as she promptly hops on the broom and takes off. 

“Oh, that’s how it’s going to be?” Nayeon shouts confidently. “You’d better watch out, Yoo!” She quickly follows Jeongyeon’s motion, shooting into the darkening sky after her. 

\--

The grounds are pitch black when Nayeon and Jeongyeon finally touch down next to the broom shed, laughing. They repeat the process they used to get the brooms out of the shed: Nayeon opens the door, though she doesn’t have to use the Unlocking Charm to do it this time, and the two of them head back into the broom shed to put back the broom, trying to keep their voices as low as possible while also talking animatedly about flying. 

They exit the broom shed and turn to the door, Jeongyeon waiting as Nayeon relocks the latch carefully. The two turn around to head back up to the castle indiscreetly, but run straight into two figures in black robes. 

Nayeon looks up at the people, startled, and finds herself staring straight into the calmly stern eyes of Joohyun and the warmer yet no-less stern eyes of Seungwan. Both of whom happen to be prefects. 

“Nayeon, Jeongyeon, what are you doing out here? No students are supposed to be out on the grounds after 9:30.” 

Nayeon gulps, but before she can explain, Jeongyeon is already talking. “Sorry, Seungwan-unnie, it was my fault, I asked Nayeon-unnie if she wanted to practice for Quidditch tryouts with me. It was my idea to get a broom from the shed. We didn’t know we’d be out on the grounds so late.” Nayeon looks at the Gryffindor in surprise. 

“Is that right, Nayeon?” Seungwan asks, and Nayeon nods. 

“Please don’t take points from us, unnie,” Jeongyeon pleads. “Gryffindor is already in last place, they’ll kill me if they find out I lost more points.” 

“Unfortunately, we can’t  _ not _ punish you, we caught you breaking the rules,” Joohyun says with a laugh. “Let’s see. 10 points each from Gryffindor and Slytherin for not being in the dormitories,” Joohyun’s eyes fall on the shed behind them. “And another 10 points each for breaking into the broom shed. We’ll refer you each to your Heads of Houses to see if further punishment is required.” 

The two prefects escort Nayeon and Jeongyeon back up to the castle where they leave them to go to their dormitories, having to go back to their nightly patrol rounds. 

“Thanks for covering for us,” Nayeon says after they leave. “Though we still got in trouble.” 

“It’s no problem, that’s what friends are for,” Jeongyeon responds cordially, as if it was a no brainer that she would take the blame. “Though Sooyoung-unnie is going to kill me for losing more points.” 

Nayeon groans at the thought of having to face people in her house tomorrow after they learn that she just lost them 20 points. “Ugh, same. I need to earn those points back fast.” Though she doesn’t feel that bad for misbehaving. She did, admittedly, have fun breaking the rules. And maybe it is something that she would enjoy doing more often, sneaking out. Jeongyeon was the perfect partner-in-crime. 

“You probably don’t have to worry about it, Slytherin’s in first right now by a long shot. Gryffindor, on the other hand, is in dire straits.” Nayeon laughs.

“That’s an understatement. What are you guys, fourth place? Behind Hufflepuff  _ AND _ Ravenclaw? That’s just sad.” 

“Hey, we’ll catch up, just watch! I bet we’ll be first by the time the House Cup ends.” 

“Please. We all know Slytherin is going to win again this year.”

The bickering continues, but the two settle into comfortable silence when they reach an intersection and have to go their separate ways, Nayeon to the dungeons and Jeongyeon to Gryffindor tower, respectively. 

“Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, unnie.” Jeongyeon says after a moment. 

“Yeah,” Nayeon nods. “Momo and Sana will be dying to hear about this at breakfast.” She turns and starts heading down to the dungeons. 

“Unnie!” Jeongyeon calls out, and Nayeon turns on her heels to face the Gryffindor, who looks at her with a curious look in her eyes. 

“You’re a good flier,” Jeongyeon says. “I’m sure you’ll have no problems at tryouts, but good luck anyways.” With a little wave of goodbye, she turns and heads up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower, leaving Nayeon standing in the hallway watching her go. 

Later that night, when Nayeon thinks back on the time she spent with Jeongyeon, she’ll feel many things. Fondness at the younger girl’s conviction to help her practice. Exasperation at the thought of losing 20 points for Slytherin. Thankfulness for her well-wishes. 

But the thing that fills Nayeon the most is happiness. Unbridled and unhinged. She admires the younger girl’s straight honesty and welcoming warmth, the way that she makes friends quickly but also strongly. It’s only been a month since they met, but Nayeon already feels that she has a lifelong friend in Jeongyeon. And by extension, she supposes, in Momo and Sana as well. 

  
  


For more than a decade, Nayeon felt like the world constantly rejected her. Surrounded by the next generation of wizards at Hogwarts, she was only more convinced that she didn’t belong anywhere. 

For the first time, Jeongyeon shows her that she does. Nayeon is grateful to know her, to be friends with her, to have her back and to know that Jeongyeon has her back as well. 

Maybe, Nayeon thinks, this is the start of something bigger. And while that can be scary, taking that next step into the beyond, daring to be yourself when the world has all of its cards stacked against you, there’s no one she’d rather have by her side than her best friend.

_ This is just the beginning.  _


	4. Making Friends and Influencing People (Sana)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sana's got more important things to do than learn how to perform a Softening Charm.

It is late November. The sky is grey with clouds. Fresh snow blankets the ground and sprinkles the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest, powdered sugar over the once-green landscape surrounding Hogwarts. Great portions of the Black Lake are frozen over with sheets of ice, a makeshift rink so long as any skaters avoid the thinner sections just barely coating the icy water lying beneath. 

Yet as the weather gets darker and sadder, inside Hogwarts the mood gets merrier and happier. The braziers in the Great Hall dance with flame. Students gather comfortably in the warmth of their common rooms, settling in the squashy armchairs to talk, read, study, or play a quick game of Gobstones with their friends. On the rare days where the constant snowfall relents, those not buried in their work dress in their warmest clothes and venture outside to play in the snow or skate over the lake, coming back to the castle noses red with a craving for a cup of steaming hot chocolate and a good book. As the weeks go on, spirit rises in anticipation of everyone’s favorite time of year: Christmas holidays! 

Sana absolutely loves it. 

Hogwarts has felt like home for her entire first year so far, but something about the sheer, palpable happiness in the air as students excitedly talk about their plans for the break or what presents they hope to get just brings a new sense of fondness for the place. 

“There’s something about winter at Hogwarts that makes everyone so happy,” Sana thinks, content. Around the breakfast table, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Momo give her strange looks and it’s only then that she realizes she’s said that out loud. 

“Yeah, I guess,” Nayeon says. “Though it’s so cold outside, I hate that if you go out there for, like, only 5 minutes you can’t even move.” 

“That explains why you played so badly in that last Quidditch match, unnie,” Jeongyeon says. “I thought you were frozen to the broom, guess you actually were.” 

“Yah, Yoo Jeongyeon! It was a sleet-storm and I only missed one shot! Let’s see you do any better!” 

“Whatever,” Jeongyeon says, laughing and waving Nayeon off good heartedly. “It looks like Joohyun-unnie and Seulgi-unnie are feeling happy right now.” She says with a nod. The other three crane their necks around to where she gestured and spot the Slytherin prefect and Hufflepuff Quidditch captain snogging at the other end of the room. 

“Aww, I’m so glad they’re together, those two unnies are so cute!” Sana squeals. She watches the two of them for a moment, content, but realizes that her friends are giving her weird looks and some of the other students are as well. “Ehm,” She says, clearing her throat. “Anyways, what are you guys doing over Christmas holidays? Anything fun?” 

“No, not really,” Jeongyeon says with a shake of her head. “I’m just going to be at home for a few weeks, spend time with the family. Though I think Seungyeon-unnie should be able to stay for a few days, she requested time off from St. Mungo’s for the holidays last week.”

“Same,” Nayeon says. “I’m just going to be at home with my parents for the holidays. Have a quiet Christmas and all that.” 

“Nice, I’ll be at home too. I can’t wait to see my parents again, I miss them. What about you, Momoring?” Sana says, turning to her best friend. Sana suddenly realizes that Momo hasn’t joined in at all in their discussion this morning. Most unusual. 

Momo just shrugs her shoulders. “I’m not sure.” She says. “My parents probably won’t be home for Christmas this year and Hana’s curse-breaking in Argentina.” 

“Oh.” The mood is suddenly gloomier. 

“I hope you guys have a good time over the holidays though, it sounds like you’ll be having fun.” 

The rest of breakfast passes with conversation, though not nearly as lively as it was before. Sana steals glances at Momo as the other girl is eating, if Sana could even call it that. She pushes her food around her plate listlessly. Though she smiles whenever she meets Sana’s gaze, it’s a stiff smile that doesn’t reach Momo’s eyes. She seems grateful when they change the subject, but still doesn’t really engage in the conversation. It’s clear that her mind is elsewhere. 

Sana has half a mind to fix that. 

\--

“Let’s see it, Minatozaki!” Professor Flitwick’s sudden appearance, popping out from just in front of her desk, makes Sana jump and almost drop her wand. He blinks almost expectedly and Sana suddenly realizes that he asked her to do something, but she can’t remember for the life of her what it was. 

“Sorry Professor, I didn’t catch that. What do you want me to do?” 

“Your Softening Charm,” Professor Flitwick squeaks excitedly. “Demonstrate for the class!” Sana groans inwardly; her supposed natural disposition for charms has been a subject of much excitement and interest from Professor Flitwick and while she does love the subject wholeheartedly, the Softening Charm has taken her considerably more effort to master than the previous spells taught in the course. She still doesn’t have it down yet. 

Sure, the Softening Charm, being a combination of elements from simpler spells and second-year transfiguration, is the most difficult they’ve done so far and blows away the Wand-Lighting or Levitation Charms. But Sana was also not paying attention at all through the lesson and ended up behind everyone else once the time came for practical application, having to scramble through the description in the book and ask those around her for help in understanding the wand motion for the charm. 

If you asked Sana, she would say that she has much more important things to do than learning the Softening Charm. Especially when it concerns Momo. 

The image of a disheartened Momo has stayed in Sana’s mind since that day at breakfast and while her friend has since told her, Jeongyeon, and Nayeon that she’s okay, Sana doesn’t really think that’s true. While Momo might go with the flow, she isn’t the type to easily let go of things that are bothering her. And as her best friend, Sana wholeheartedly believes that it’s her responsibility to make sure that Momo is happy. 

In light of this goal, she spent almost the entirety of the Charms lesson brainstorming ideas that might cheer Momo up while working on the spell on the side. Sana would say it went pretty well, all things considered. She sort of understands the charm and, much more importantly, has a working idea of how she can cheer up Momo. 

Unfortunately for her, sort of understanding the Softening Charm doesn’t at all help in practical application. 

The eager eyes of Professor Flitwick and the rest of the class are fixed on her. It’s unnerving. Sana gulps, then fixes her gaze on the wooden block she’s supposed to be softening. She breathes in and out, reminding herself of the incantation and the wand motion associated with the spell. 

“ _Spongify_ ,” She says, tracing her wand in an ‘S’ shape over the block. Nothing happens. The class squints hard at the wooden block, but it remains, to all the keen eyes, solid as wood. When Professor Flitwick grabs the block and drops it to the ground, the sharp _THUD_ confirms that the block is indeed still a block. 

“Hmm, not your best work, Minatozaki,” The professor says with disappointment. “Perhaps some extra help might improve your technique with this particular spell. Meet me back in the classroom tomorrow evening.” He clambers back up onto his pedestal to address the rest of the class. “That concludes today’s lesson. Remember to practice your Softening Charms, I expect them all to be perfect by the next class.”

All of the students pack up their things and bustle out of the Charms classroom, pulling out their schedules to see what is next on their list. For Sana, it’s Flying lessons with the Ravenclaws. 

“What was that, Satang?” Momo asks. 

“Hmm?” Sana says distractedly, not even looking at her friend and almost running out of the classroom. 

“You never get a spell wrong! I was sure we had another 10 points in the bag right there,” Momo says as she looks at her best friend in confusion. “Now you have to have remedial lessons with Professor Flitwick!” 

“Yeah, I’ll do that later,” Sana says absentmindedly. “Do you know what class Jeongyeon has now?” 

Momo blinks, surprised at the question. “Yeah, I think the Gryffindors just had Potions with the Slytherins, but she said she’d meet us in the Great Hall for dinner anyways so why —” 

“Thanks Momoring, you’re a lifesaver!” Sana pecks Momo on the cheek with a sudden kiss and rushes off, leaving Momo confusedly standing in the corridor outside of the Charms classroom. 

_What is going on?_

\--

“Jeongyeonie,” Sana gasps breathlessly as she stumbles into the library. “There you are! Momo said you had Potions, but I couldn’t find you in the dungeons. I was looking everywhere.” 

“Yeah,” Jeongyeon says. “We finished our Strengthening Solutions early so I decided to study here for a bit. Wait, don’t you have class? What are you doing here?” 

Sana just shakes her head at an increasingly-confused Jeongyeon. She’s got more important things to do than class right now. “I need your help.” 

“Okay…” Jeongyeon says, before being cut off by a frantic Sana rambling at a borderline incoherent speed. 

“I figured out why Momoring was so down during breakfast the other day, it’s because she’s lonely! She doesn’t have anyone to go to over Christmas holidays and we’ll all be gone so she has no one to stay with. So then I thought that we could stay with her! Here, at Hogwarts, over the holidays! I’m sure our parents wouldn’t mind and it would make Momo really happy! Plus we could play in the snow and open presents together…” Sana sees the cogs turning in Jeongyeon’s head, but she can tell the Gryffindor isn’t entirely convinced yet. A sudden idea springs into her mind. “Do it for me, as my birthday present!” 

“Your birthday’s over break…?” Jeongyeon mutters. 

“Yeah, it’s on the 29th! Four days after Christmas!” Jeongyeon seems to consider this and Sana knows she’s got her friend down. In their few months of friendship, Jeongyeon has never missed out on anyone’s birthday wishes. The Gryffindor is always considerate and Sana feels she’s finally got a partner-in-crime to make people happy with. 

“As your birthday present…” Jeongyeon murmurs, thinking, before locking eyes with Sana. “Sure, I’ll write to my parents and tell them I want to stay. It shouldn’t be a big deal, Seungyeon-unnie used to stay a lot over the holidays.”

“Thanks Jeongyeonie!” Sana chirps, pulling the unsuspecting Gryffindor into a quick yet tight hug before bounding out of the library. Jeongyeon can only stare after her. 

_What is going on in that girl’s mind?_

\--

Next, Sana catches Nayeon on the grounds on her way to a Care of Magical Creatures lesson, pulling the bewildered second year away while speaking at a rapid fire pace. 

“What is it, Sana? I’m going to be late for class…”

“Unnie, I need you to stay at school for Christmas holidays instead of going back home, only you can’t tell Momoring because it’s supposed to be a surprise.” 

Nayeon stops in her tracks. “What?” 

“Momo’s lonely and I think we can cheer her up by staying over Christmas with her because she has no-one to spend it with. We can give each other presents and things, it’ll be so much fun!” 

“Sorry Sana, but I already promised my parents I’d be home for the holidays.” Like Jeongyeon, Nayeon seems pretty hesitant to agree, but, again like Jeongyeon, Sana plays the perfect card that will ensure her agreement completely. 

“Jeongyeon is staying.” 

“Hmm?” Nayeon’s eyes light up at this and Sana can immediately tell it worked. “Jeongyeon agreed?” Nayeon takes a few moments to consider but Sana already knows what the answer will be. “Ok, I’ll write to my parents and ask them to spend the holidays here with you guys.” She smiles at Sana. 

“ _Whipped_ ,” Sana whispers under her breath, much too quiet for Nayeon to hear, before quickly shifting her smirk into a beaming smile. She pulls the Slytherin into a hug and rushes off with a cheery “Thank you so much, Nayeon-unnie!” 

Nayeon, despite being late for Care of Magical Creatures, stares at the retreating back of the Hufflepuff. 

_That girl is something else._

\--

On the first day of Christmas holidays, Sana makes sure to get up extra early so that Momo doesn’t notice. She had already hidden her trunk and was purposefully avoiding her best friend since the previous night, when all of the students who were going home for the holidays left via the Hogwarts Express; this entailed going to bed super late, which was easy, and having to bear the lonely look on Momo’s face for a whole evening, which was not. 

She slides silently out of her four-poster bed and tidies it silently, taking great care to ensure that she doesn't accidentally trip over the edges and wake up Momo. After getting ready and exiting the mostly empty dormitory, she goes to the dungeons and Gryffindor Tower, where she meets Nayeon and Jeongyeon respectively. The three of them then take up their hiding spot behind the wall leading into the Great Hall from the Grand Staircase, out of view of anyone casually walking in for breakfast. They lie in wait as students start to enter, undetected. Professor McGonagall spots them as she walks in, giving the three a confused look before understanding their intentions, nodding, smiling, and continuing to breakfast as if nothing had happened. 

It takes a while, but finally their target emerges from the stairs. Sana gasps as Momo appears and stumbles, almost giving them away if not for Jeongyeon clapping a hand against her mouth and Nayeon pulling her robes back to steady her. 

When the three of them reveal themselves and an unsuspecting Momo bursts into tears, pulling them into a hug, Sana feels nothing but pure joy. She always loves to make people happy and she’s not only glad that she could do the same for Momo, but also that Nayeon and Jeongyeon were equally willing to help her. This is only the start of their friendship, yet while standing there watching Momo cry and laugh as she hugs her friends, Sana is sure that it will last forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Writer's block hit hard and this update was hard to get out but I'm happy with the way it turned out. Also the title of this one is the name of an episode from one of my all-time favorite TV shows, 10 points to anyone who knows what it's from. Any guesses?
> 
> I'm so hyped for TWICE's comeback tomorrow; I forced myself to only watch the individual member teasers so I have no idea what the song or album sounds like yet. We'll see :)


	5. A Helping Hand (Momo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First year exams are hard.

“There’s so much to do!” Momo groans as she eyes the stack of books piling up in front of her. Despite it being late at night, students still occupy the common room, either pouring over notes at a table or passed out on the plushy couches with a textbook in their lap, taking an unintentional but nonetheless necessary break from studying. Yes, it’s that time of year at Hogwarts: end of year examinations. No student is exempt from them, not even the seventh years who, despite being in their final year of Hogwarts, perhaps have it the worst of all with their upcoming N.E.W.T.s. This is probably the only time of year when the seventh years are outdone by their juniors in the sixth years, who walk the halls with smug satisfaction at knowing that everyone else is absolutely swamped with studying while they get off relatively scot-free. After class, students occupy the library, the common room, the Great Hall, or pretty much anywhere with a bit of room to study. 

Exams are, theoretically, supposed to get harder every year you progress, but as Momo stares into a pit of hopeless studying, she thinks it’s already harder than what she signed up for. And yeah, maybe it wasn’t the best idea to leave most of her studying for only a few nights before exams officially start. But studying now is better than not at all. Right?

Next to her Sana blearily agrees, her eyes glazed over in exhaustion as she reaches for yet one more stack of notes. Momo sighs as she pulls the first textbook down from the stack and looks at the cover: _Magical Drafts and Potions_. She alternately flips between the pages and her notes, becoming more and more confused as clear gaps begin to appear between her understanding and the actual facts. It’s frustrating, really, staring at page after page and getting none of it. 

“Satang, do you remember how to brew the Wiggenweld Potion? Is it 5 lionfish spines or 6? I can’t read my own writing…” When Sana doesn’t respond, Momo turns to look at her best friend, who is currently leaning over her notes, fast asleep. 

A beyond-frustrated Momo promptly bursts into tears before, eventually, following her friend’s lead and succumbing to sleep over the still-open page on the Wiggenweld Potion. 

\--

When Momo wakes up, she’s tucked comfortably into her four-poster bed. Weird. The last thing she remembers from the previous night was studying in the common room with Sana, she doesn’t recall going back to the dormitories. When she pulls the blankets off and sits up, she finds that she’s still in her uniform from last night: her white shirt, tie, and jumper are all slightly crumpled from sleeping in them. Her shoes sit neatly at the foot of her bed and she thinks she spots her robe hanging from a coat hanger in the closet. Again, weird. She never goes to bed in her uniform, always making sure to change into something more comfortable and more pink for the night, she never puts her robe in the closet, and usually her shoes end up on opposite sides of the room when she slips them off after a long day. 

Momo checks the hands of the clock in one corner of the room: it’s about 10 minutes past 8. She groans. It’s so early, but breakfast starts at 8:30 and she’s not about to miss it. She sees that Sana’s four-poster is empty and figures that her best friend must be in the bathroom getting ready; her suspicion is confirmed when the Japanese girl emerges fully dressed with a bright “Good morning, Momoring!”. 

Weary, Momo slides out of bed and shuffles around in her trunk for a fresh uniform, not wanting to show up for class looking like she had only just rolled out of bed (though that wouldn’t be an unwelcome idea considering how tired she feels right now). She’s just about ready and reaching for her robe when she spots a small note stuck to its sleeves. It seems to have been pinned to the fabric and unsticks itself cleanly when Momo touches it, a neat bit of magic that has Momo pondering as to what it is. Notices are either posted in the hallways or the common rooms, and as a first year Momo thinks it’s a bit early to have admirers among the student population. Curious, she unfolds the paper to the following message: 

_Momo:_

_You were fast asleep in the common room last night when I came in and looked quite uncomfortable with your head against the desk, so I hope you don’t mind that I took you up to your bed. Considering that you’re reading this note you’ve probably found your robe already, but your shoes are on the floor against your four-poster. All of your textbooks and notes are on top of your bookcase, as are the spare quills that I found and assumed were yours. Your book bag should be there too._

_I noticed you were reading about the Wiggenweld Potion before you fell asleep. I remember I struggled a lot with Potions as a first year. Meet me in the library after class today, I think I know someone who can help. Exams are hard, but if you need help with anything, I’m always here! :)_

_\- KSG_

_It’s from Seulgi-unnie_ , Momo thinks. Well, of course it is. The fifth year is one of the kindest people Momo knows. From the moment she and Sana were sorted into Hufflepuff, Seulgi had taken it upon herself to get them situated, making sure that they knew where all of their classes were and felt comfortable at Hogwarts. While doing those things might have just been her duties as a prefect, Momo’s sure that even if Seulgi wasn’t a prefect, she’d still be just as warm and kind. She reminds Momo of a fluffy teddy bear, always ready with a big hug and a soothing smile whenever you need it. What more could be asked of Hufflepuff’s prefect? Plus, she feels pretty close to Seulgi considering that ever since the older girl had seen her in the first years' mandatory flying lessons with Madam Hooch, she’s been practically hounding Momo, encouraging her to try out for the team next year at every opportunity. Momo’s been eagerly watching Hufflepuff’s Quidditch team all year and knows that Seulgi is a superb Chaser, without question the most skilled among all of the House teams. She herself plays Chaser and can’t wait to team up with her unnie next year. 

But, frustratingly, for right now, Momo has to focus on the present. She has to admit she’s stressed with upcoming exams and feels totally not ready for any of them, least of all Potions. She definitely could use some help, especially from someone as experienced and kind as Seulgi. _She says to meet her in the library after class…_

“Yah, Momoring! We’re going to be late for breakfast!” Momo is interrupted from her thoughts by Sana’s chirp and immediately starts back into her morning mode. Breakfast cannot be missed, not on any occasion, and Momo pockets Seulgi’s note in her robe before quickly running to grab her books for today’s classes, shoving them in her bag, and hurrying out into the common room to meet up with Sana. 

\--

After class, Momo hesitantly enters the library, which is currently packed with students cramming for their end-of-year exams. It’s kind of intimidating, she would have to admit, because despite the sheer number of people in the space, it’s almost pin-drop silent, with the only sounds being the occasional whisper between friends or the shuffling of pages turning at a methodical pace. Momo herself has only been in the library once, that being the first time when her, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Sana had agreed to meet up together after class. They made so much noise that Madam Pince promptly kicked them out. She swears she still feels the librarian’s eyes boring holes into her back as she slowly goes deeper into the room. 

She spots a wave from a table against the wall and almost instantly relaxes as she makes her way over to where Seulgi sits with a Ravenclaw girl with short blonde hair and a welcoming smile. 

“Momo! I’m so glad you came!” The Hufflepuff prefect says brightly as she envelops Momo in a big, cuddly hug. She turns to her friend. “This is Seungwan, you might know her as one of the Ravenclaw prefects. She helped me a lot with Potions in my first year.” 

“It wasn’t just your first year, Seul,” Seungwan says with a cheeky smile at Seulgi. “And it wasn’t just with Potions either.” 

“Oh really?” Seulgi replies good-naturedly. “Who got better scores on their Herbology end-of-year last year?”

Seungwan rolls her eyes playfully. “It was just one year, chances are it was luck. Plus, you Hufflepuffs are probably like naturally disposed to be good at Herbology or something.”

The two share a laugh and Momo just knows that they're inseparable. It’s the same kind of feeling people say they get from seeing her and Sana together, something about forever friends and soulmates. They’re both so warm and friendly and as Momo slides into a seat next to them, she already feels at home. 

“Anyways,” Seulgi says to get back to the point, though her characteristic eye-smile shows that she’s still having a good time. “Seungwan is pretty good at Potions and I figure she might be able to help you with anything that you have questions with. I probably can too, but she’s way better at this than I am.” 

“Thank you, Seungwan-unnie,” Momo says with a quick bow at the Ravenclaw, who waves it off. “It really means a lot.” She rummages around in her bag and pulls out some books and some notes, opening them on the desk between herself, Seulgi, and Seungwan. 

“So, where should we start?” 

\--

Dinner’s almost over when Momo bursts into the Great Hall, flat-out sprinting over to where Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Sana are settled at the Hufflepuff table. It was an agreement made between the four of them at the start of their friendship: that every day, they’d rotate and sit at each other’s House tables for meals so that none of them would have to eat alone. Sure, when they first started it they got weird looks from students in the other houses (and maybe some mean looks from the Slytherins), but they all brushed it off then and it has since become routine. 

“Momoring!” Sana says. “Where have you been? You disappeared on me after Defense Against the Dark Arts.” 

“We’ve been worried,” Jeongyeon adds, and Nayeon says, “We were about to go out looking for you.” 

It seems they all expect that Momo will sit down and hang out, but to their astonishment, she merely takes the open seat next to Sana, piles her plate with food, and proceeds to shovel it down as if there’s no tomorrow, explaining her afternoon to them between gulps. 

“Was in the library… Seulgi-unnie and Seungwan-unnie were helping me with Potions… For the exam tomorrow…” Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Sana just stare at her in complete and utter confusion. Clearly none of them believe that explanation to be either comprehensible or adequate, but Momo really couldn't care less at this point. She was, dare she say it, actually having fun learning Potions from the two fifth years. 

The minute she finishes up her food, Momo hurriedly sends off her friends with a “Gotta go, Seulgi-unnie said she’d be waiting,” before shooting back to the library, leaving Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Sana staring at her with utter confusion reflected equally on their three faces. 

\--

Momo wakes up to sunshine and confidence on exam day. Well, it isn’t really sunshine considering that the Hufflepuff dormitories are basically underground, but the warm bronze light coming from the copper lamps echoes the uncharacteristically sunny feeling that spreads across Momo’s chest. She’s ready for exams, thanks to her unnies. 

The rest of her housemates and first-years in general look nervous as they line up for their first exam (Charms, as it were, where it is rumored that Professor Flitwick is asking them to make a teacup do cartwheels along his desk), but Momo actually feels kind of good about it. Charms was never really a source of confusion for her considering how good Sana is at it. When she comes out of the classroom, she feels pretty happy with her exam, and while Sana was probably the only person in the class who made her teacup perform an impressive gymnastics routine, Momo is sure that her teacup’s flips were just fine in comparison to everyone else. 

Herbology is pretty much a breeze for all of the Hufflepuffs, Momo included. Seungwan might just be right that the House has a natural affinity for it, and Momo’s successful repotting of the Mandrake boosts her resolve through the more difficult tasks in Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts. 

When the dreaded Potions exam rolls around and Professor Slughorn asks them to brew, of all things, the Wiggenweld Potion, Momo’s heart leaps. Wiggenweld was the hardest potion they learned _by far_ this year, as there were so many complicated steps and performing even one inaccurately would result in a useless potion and a failing grade. But Momo spent the entire evening studying this particular potion, and one and half hours later when the exam is over, Momo passes successfully as a result of Seulgi and Seungwan’s helping hands. 

Sure, it wasn’t perfect: her Mandrake wasn’t completely submerged in the soil and she was quite close to completely failing in transfiguring her parrot into a top hat owing to the fact that it was still very much multi-colored and squawked when touched. But Momo feels pretty happy with her showing considering that just a few days ago, it looked completely hopeless. 

Everyone is good at some things and not others, Momo learns. And yes, while she’s not the best academically, she just has to be good enough to get through the exams, not be perfect in every subject. 

If you asked her a week ago, Momo would have said that she was surely going to fail. But now, she knows that she doesn’t have to be good at everything and that she’s got more friends than she thinks who are more than willing to help her succeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday to our dancing machine, Momo! I'd like to say that it was more than coincidence that I posted a Momo chapter on her birthday (well technically it isn't her birthday where I am right now but it is in Korea), but that'd be lying and well, "I must not tell lies".
> 
> And that concludes JeongMoSa's first year at Hogwarts!


	6. Nighttime Troublemaking (Jihyo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gryffindor plays Slytherin and Jihyo is caught in the crosshairs.

“Come on Yoo Jeongyeon, eat up!” 

Jihyo slides a bowl of piping hot porridge down the table to her friend and frowns. Jeongyeon is the epitome of bright and ready in the morning and usually has a healthy appetite to start the day, but now she just stares into space, eyes boring into the smooth brown wood of the table, fists anxiously clenching and unclenching at her sides. The bowl slows to a stop right in Jeongyeon’s line of sight and she snaps out of her reverie, eyeing the porridge uneasily. 

“Jihyo, I don’t think I —”

“No. Eat.” Jihyo says more forcibly and Jeongyeon gulps, quickly picking up her spoon and digging it into the bowl, taking a big bite to satisfy the honestly quite-scary first year. “The others will be here soon.” 

Within minutes of Jihyo’s words, the rest of their friends start to join them at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. Momo, to no-one’s surprise, and Sana show up first, the former rubbing her eyes before perking up considerably at the sight of food. Jihyo likes them. Granted, they are a bit weird and all over the place sometimes, but they were warm and welcoming and quickly brought Jihyo into their group when they heard she, Nayeon, and Jeongyeon were best friends when they were younger. The Hufflepuffs are just about starting with their food when Sana jumps up again, this time to hug a very surprised Mina as she makes her way down. After freeing herself from the second-year’s grip, Mina settles down next to Momo, greeting Jihyo and Jeongyeon with a calm voice and a gummy smile. The Ravenclaw had the fortune (or misfortune) of sitting in a compartment with Jihyo and eventually the rest of her friends on the way up to Hogwarts; the moment Momo and Sana chaotically found out that the younger girl was Japanese was the moment she was officially initiated into the circle. Nayeon likes to joke that the first-year was made to be friends with them to “complete the set” because now they had a friend from each house and could thus sit at each house table, a courtesy that no-one else would be allowed. 

_ Speak of the devil _ , Jihyo thinks as a piercing laugh announces the arrival of the last member of their group, one Im Nayeon. Jihyo’s fellow housemates watch with hostility as the Slytherin detaches herself from Jennie and saunters down to the end of the Gryffindor table, the green and silver stripes of her sweater sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the red and gold. 

Normally her presence at the table isn’t even an issue. The Gryffindors even welcome Nayeon sometimes when she stands up against some of the more hateful Slytherins. 

However, as emphasized by the students dressed in either bright scarlet or smooth emerald and the excited buzz that permeates the Great Hall, today isn’t a normal day. It’s the start of the new Quidditch season and it’s starting with a bang: Gryffindor against Slytherin. 

“Say, Jeongyeon,” Nayeon says with a smirk as she slides into her seat at the table. “How many times do you think I’ll score against you — five or six? I’ll bet a Galleon that it’ll be six.” 

At this, Jeongyeon grimaces and turns a slight shade of green and Momo responds, “Please Nayeon-unnie, you couldn’t even score six times on my granddad when you came over to hang out last summer.” 

“You wound me,” Nayeon puts a dramatic hand to her chest and throws a mock-offended look at Momo, who just laughs. A moment later, Nayeon is chuckling too. “I guess you’re for Gryffindor today, then?” 

“Can’t have Slytherin winning three years in a row, now can we?” 

“I think we can,” Nayeon says with a smirk. “Jihyo’s obviously for Gryffindor, so that leaves Sana and Mina. What do you say, ladies? Slytherin’s a hot pick for today’s match.” 

Sana looks confused as ever when the topic is Quidditch and inevitably sides with Momo, while a torn Mina seems to seriously debate before taking pity and throwing her support to a clearly outnumbered Nayeon.

Suddenly the captains of both teams are calling for their players and both Nayeon and Jeongyeon are getting up from the table. Excitement builds as Hogwarts students cheer for their teams and players. Jihyo, Momo, and Sana loudly cheer Jeongyeon on beside Mina, who flashes a shy thumbs up as a retreating Nayeon looks back. 

In her head, Jihyo wills Jeongyeon to lose the nerves and focus. Momo is right. Slytherin can’t win this game. Nayeon would be insufferable and, more importantly, it would hurt Gryffindor’s chances at winning the House Cup. It has to be Gryffindor. 

Anything else would be unthinkable.

\--

Madam Hooch shrilly blows on her whistle and Jihyo puts her head in her hands and groans. Next to her, Momo stares morosely as the Slytherin seeker zooms across the pitch triumphantly, the Snitch secured tightly in his outstretched hand. The scoreboard flashes green and white:  _ SLYTHERIN 260 - GRYFFINDOR 90. _

“Well, that was fun!” 

Both Jihyo and Momo slowly turn their heads to stare at Sana, whose innocent smile fades when she sees the looks on both of their faces. 

“...I guess it wasn’t really, though?” The Hufflepuff says in an attempt to redeem herself. “Since we wanted Gryffindor to win.” 

Momo blinks for a second before facepalming at Sana’s ineptitude at understanding Quidditch. Jihyo doesn’t know if she should laugh or cry. She turns her attention back to the pitch and immediately regrets it when she spots the Slytherins parading their victorious seeker around the pitch, Nayeon’s joyful cackle soaring above the rest of the cacophony in the crowd. 

“Mina must be happy, right?” 

The Ravenclaw thoughtfully hums. “The Gryffindor seeker should have moved inside when he dove.” Despite their disappointment, both Momo and Jihyo start at Mina’s statement. 

“Yeah, that’s right,” Momo thinks thoughtfully. “He could have cut the Slytherin seeker off and regained some ground instead of having to chase the whole way. How did you notice, Mina?” 

For some reason that Jihyo doesn’t really understand, Mina turns slightly red at Momo’s statement. “I’ve been reading a lot about Quidditch, I think I want to — huh?” 

Mina’s eyes suddenly go wide as they lock onto something on the pitch. Jihyo spins around and quickly identifies what grabbed Mina’s attention: Jeongyeon, broom in hand, angrily storming across the pitch towards the Slytherins. There’s pure fire in her eyes and it’s shooting straight at a gleeful Nayeon, who taunts, “What did I tell you, Jeongyeonnie? Slytherin wins. Guess you Gryffindors are going to have to get used to losing this season. But that shouldn’t be too hard for you.” 

That’s it. Jihyo’s competitive fire sparks into an inferno at Nayeon’s comment, practically spilling out of her ears. She couldn’t tell you what triggers it, but she finds herself sprinting down the stands to Jeongyeon’s side as they both approach Nayeon, who is now surrounded by adoring fans clad in green and silver. 

“Nayeon,” Jeongyeon barks. “You’d better take that back right now.” There’s a chorus of agreement among members of the Gryffindor team and supporters, who now gather alongside Jihyo right on Jeongyeon’s heels. 

“Why? It’s the truth.” The Slytherins behind Nayeon cheer as she smirks at the Gryffindors. Personally, however much she and Nayeon are friends, all Jihyo wants in that moment is to slap the smug look right off of the older girl’s face. 

“That Gryffindors always lose?” Jeongyeon says incredulously. 

“Yeah, of course. I’m sorry, but Slytherin will always beat you guys, that’s just how it is.” The Slytherin taunting swells to an unbearable crescendo. 

“I always lose?” Jeongyeon says before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. 

In her head, Jihyo cheers Jeongyeon on, eager to teach the annoying Slytherins a lesson about the courageous and tenacious tenets of Gryffindor house. 

Jeongyeon opens her eyes and pulls out her wand, leveling it at Nayeon. 

Jihyo blinks.

“You’ll regret saying that, Im. Meet me in the third floor corridor tomorrow night at 9 o’clock. You’re being challenged to a duel.”

Time seems to stop for a moment. 

Then Nayeon smirks. “Oh, it’s on.”

All of the House points that Jeongyeon will surely lose suddenly flash in Jihyo’s mind. 

_ Oh no. Not good. Not good at all. _

\--

“Yoo Jeongyeon, listen to me!” Jihyo practically screams at her friend, who doesn’t even send a glance her way as she polishes her wand. 

“Why on earth would you do that?” 

“She started it.” Jeongyeon says fiercely. 

“Yes, but a duel? You’re going to get into so much trouble!” 

“It’ll be fine, we're in our second and third years, we can’t do much harm to each other anyways. Plus, my honor’s at stake.” 

“Your  _ honor _ ?” Jihyo says incredulously. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t get hurt, you’re going to get caught. Stop being so overdramatic and be sensible, for Merlin’s sake.” 

“Again, Nayeon started it. I am being sensible.”

“Clearly not, as you’ve just challenged her to a duel and intend to go about doing it, which is probably breaking like six different school rules.” 

“Has anyone ever told you you’re scary when you’re angry?” Jeongyeon says with a grin. Jihyo huffs, crossing her arms. 

“Imagine all of the points you’re going to lose. I’m going to have to —”

“Be my second.” 

This stops Jihyo in her tracks. “What?” 

“My second. Every dueler needs a second.” 

Jihyo can’t believe this. Jeongyeon challenges Nayeon, a friend to both of them, to a duel in front of half the school, in plain eyesight and earshot of around five teachers, fully intends to go through with it because of her “honor”, and now has the audacity to ask for Jihyo to be her second? When all she’s done for the past hour is give Jeongyeon reason after reason to call it off and be reasonable. Unbelievable _. _ Jihyo can’t believe that she’s friends with such a blind idiot. 

But Jeongyeon is  _ her _ blind idiot. They’ve been friends for as long as they can remember. Friends don't let friends duel without a proper second. 

Jihyo sighs. In her head, she can clearly picture the sheer number of points she’s about to risk, can see the red rubies tumbling out of the Gryffindor hourglass. 

“Fine. I’ll do it.” 

\--

“This is without a doubt the most idiotic thing I have ever done,” Jihyo hisses to Jeongyeon as the latter peers around a corner. They’re currently pressed tightly against a wall and attempting to avoid detection from Filch, Mrs. Norris, or any patrolling prefects.

Next to her, Nayeon whispers, “Yeah, I think I’d have to agree with that. And I’ve done some pretty idiotic things —” She quickly shuts up at the echo of distant voices. 

Honestly, Jihyo should have known that it would end up this way. 

She and Jeongyeon had quietly made their way to the third floor corridor undetected and arrived five minutes before 9 to find Nayeon waiting for them alone, eloquently explaining that her second “wimped out” just before she left the common room. Much to Jihyo’s chagrin, Nayeon and Jeongyeon then started the duel, though they were halfway through their bows when they heard Mrs. Norris hissing and the approaching footsteps of Filch. The three sprinted out of the corridor, Mrs. Norris basically on their heels, but somehow they managed to outrun her and now they are tucked against a dark wall, listening intently for any signs of movement. Jihyo rolls her eyes. She told Jeongyeon that the teachers knew about it, that she would be caught. Now they actually would be. 

“Okay,” Jeongyeon whispers. “I think we lost Filch. We need to get back to our dormitories as quietly as we can.” 

Nayeon nods. The three of them move slowly as one, jumping at even the slightest noise. It takes almost a half an hour, but eventually they find themselves at the exit to the Grand Staircase. 

“This is where we split up,” Nayeon murmurs. “You two head up to the Gryffindor common room, I should be able to make my way back to the dungeons without a problem.” 

Jihyo eyes her with concern and apparently Jeongyeon does the same because Nayeon looks at the both of them and says, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” She turns to leave but Jihyo quickly grabs her arm and spins her back around. 

“Tomorrow we’re going to have a chat. Just the three of us.” She says. 

A sheepish Nayeon can do nothing but agree before they part ways, Jihyo and Jeongyeon taking the upper stairs as she descends to the dungeons. 

\--

“We are going to collectively agree that that was stupid on both of your parts, and you’re both going to apologize for nearly getting the three of us expelled.” Jihyo announces to Nayeon and Jeongyeon on the grounds the next morning. 

“What? But Jeongyeon was the one who –” Jihyo glares at Nayeon and she gulps. “Okay. I’m sorry I taunted you.” 

“And you, Jeongyeon? What do you have to say?” 

“Yeah. I was stupid. I shouldn’t have challenged you to a duel, and Slytherin won fair and square. I’m sorry.” 

“What did we learn from this?” 

Nayeon starts. “Well, I learned that we shouldn’t argue with each other,”  _ Yes, that’s right, _ Jihyo thinks. 

“And that it’s more fun to cause trouble together than it is to do it separately.” Jeongyeon finishes, as if rehearsed. 

“Wait, no, that’s —”

“Glad we got that sorted out then,” Nayeon cuts in. “Breakfast, Jeong? I’m starving.” 

“Yeah. Momo, Sana, and Mina are probably waiting for us and wondering what happened,” Jeongyeon says. At that, the two of them head inside the Great Hall. 

“That’s not — ugh,” Jihyo sighs as she watches them go. She can already tell it’s going to be a pain trying to keep them in line. While she has absolutely no desire to go on any more nighttime troublemaking adventures with Nayeon and Jeongyeon, she knows inside that no matter how much trouble they get themselves into, she’ll always be there to help them get out of it, because that’s what friends are for. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the late update, life really caught up to me the past few weeks. Also I wrote this chapter really late at night and didn't proofread, so all mistakes are entirely my own.


	7. Alone Time (Mina)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina makes an amazing discovery.

Mina needs a break. 

She loves her friends, don’t get her wrong. And she’s endlessly grateful for everything that they’ve done so far to help her integrate herself smoothly into the magical world. But sometimes they can be a bit much. 

Currently, Nayeon is screaming bloody murder as she chases Jeongyeon around the Hufflepuff table, students on both sides of her ducking to avoid the projectiles of pasta sauce that fall from the mess of noodles unceremoniously dumped on her head just moments before by the cackling second year Gryffindor. Jihyo is caught in the middle between them, her wand drawn and muttering threats under her breath as she tries her hardest to keep the Slytherin at bay. At the table, her two compatriots argue in loud rapid-fire Japanese as Sana restrains a livid Momo from also going after Jeongyeon, who it seems did not think through her actions at all and chose Momo’s bowl as the one that would be going over Nayeon’s head. 

The pure, unadulterated cacophony crescendos to an unthinkable volume when Nayeon switches tactics, grabbing Sana’s bowl and tossing the noodles in it in Jeongyeon’s general direction, missing completely and instead hitting Jihyo full on in the face. Suddenly the tables have turned as both Sana and Jihyo simultaneously go after Nayeon, leaving Momo free to lunge at Jeongyeon, who pauses to catch her breath and doubles over in a new bout of laughter. 

If her head wasn’t spinning, Mina might also be laughing too. 

Inevitably, teachers eventually come down from the High Table and proceed to hand out punishments to her friends: detention with Filch for the entirety of Saturday morning. 

The dark look in Jihyo’s eyes as she stares down Nayeon and Jeongyeon as about to murder them is absolutely incredible and now, finally, Mina tries to fight down the urge to laugh and fails. Her friends really are something else. 

\--

The peaceful Saturday morning that Mina was looking forward to comes and goes in a flash. 

Breakfast had been nice, really, without the boisterous voices surrounding her. She had a nice conversation at the Ravenclaw table with Rosé and her Hufflepuff friend Lisa, who Mina happily discovered was only three days younger than her. 

But it seems the hours of quiet she had been craving vanish in a blink as she suddenly finds herself in the library, surrounded by noise yet again. Her friends are back. And they regale her with endless stories of their adventures in Filch’s office. Mina notices that Nayeon and Jeongyeon are noticeably quieter, smirking to each other and clearly hiding a secret that the other three are as of yet unaware of. Mina isn’t even sure if she wants to know what the two of them are up to this time. 

They’re shushed out of the library by students who, like Mina, just want some quiet time. Her fingers clench tightly onto the copy of _Quidditch Through the Ages_ that she desperately wants to enjoy in peace, but her oblivious friends happily chatter away. 

Inside, Mina is fuming. _Can I just get some time alone?_

\--

It seems like ages, but finally Mina is alone. She managed to shake her friends just before dinner, claiming that she just remembered that she had to get a book for Professor Flitwick and rushing off before they could question it. In retrospect, Mina feels bad for lying to them but quite honestly, the constant talk has been overwhelming her recently and she just needs to get away. 

One slight problem though: she’s not really sure where she is right now. She’s been over most of the castle by now, but there are some parts that are unfamiliar. This seventh-floor corridor, which Mina turned into subconsciously, is one of them. It’s fine, though. All she needs is a quiet place to relax. 

A door gradually appears where there once was an empty wall, but Mina is so lost in thought the first time around that she almost misses it before doing a double-take. _That door definitely wasn’t there before, right? Is it too late? Am I just imagining things?_ Tentatively, Mina approaches the door and puts a hand against it, feeling the wood against her fingers. _Definitely real_. 

Intrigued, she takes a step back to look at the door as a whole. It’s ornately carved, the wood spotless and surrounded by an intricate metal frame. Roughly what Mina would expect from a magical door, to be honest. But there’s something inviting and oddly… _homely_ about it? She can’t really place what it is, but sheer curiosity compels her to push the door open to discover the secrets it holds. 

Mina has never been one to blindly follow her instincts, especially when trying new things, but she finds herself opening the door nonetheless. 

Mina walks in to the room of her dreams. It’s neat yet comforting, everything has this just-lived-in feel that brings a sense of calm warmth to the space. There’s a set of plush couches surrounding a merrily crackling fire, complete with stacks of pillows and fuzzy blankets. Bookshelves line the surrounding walls, filled with every genre imaginable. A pot of hot water is brewing on a small stove in the corner alongside a set of empty teacups and an endless array of tea sachets. And… _is that a Switch in the corner_? Mina runs up to the console as fast as her legs can take her to confirm that yes, it is, in fact, a Nintendo Switch, complete with all of the latest and greatest games the platform has to offer. 

This is… _perfect_!

Mina grabs the console from the stand and settles down on one of the couches, wrapping herself in a blanket and becoming immersed in the newest installment of Mario Kart. 

\--

Over the next few weeks, Mina visits the room every opportunity she gets. 

One of the most amazing things she’s found about it is that it adapts to her needs whenever she comes in. Once she was feeling hungry, and she went in and found an assortment of biscuits neatly organized next to the tea sachets. When she visited it late at night once she found the room cozilly lit with lamps and candles. She often comes with school work as well, finding a desk, chair, quill and extra ink waiting for her. It’s brilliant. 

Not for the first time, Mina debates telling her friends about the room and showing it to them. But then she thinks about the quiet time she’s spent there and the way it feels like it fits to her every need, and she reasons that maybe now isn’t the right time, that she’ll show them some other time if she wants to. 

\--

[“Has anyone seen Mina?” Jihyo asks one evening as they all settle down in the Great Hall. Her fellow first year is notably absent from dinner and Jihyo hasn’t seen her at all since the third period Potions class that she shares with the Ravenclaws. 

“Hmm, no,” Jeongyeon says thoughtfully. “I haven’t seen her since breakfast this morning.” 

“Don’t you have classes with her, Ji?” Nayeon asks. “She didn’t miss those, did she?” 

“No,” Jihyo shakes her head. “She was there, but I haven’t seen her at all since then.” 

“That’s weird,” Nayeon says. “Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve seen her outside of meals all week.”

“Maybe she’s studying,” Sana says, sharing a concerned look with Jihyo. “Did you check the library?”

“That’s the first place I went.”

“The grounds?” Momo asks. 

Jihyo nods. “I even went to the Ravenclaw common room and asked around, but Jisoo-unnie and Rosé said that they hadn’t seen her too much there either.” Jihyo’s hands shake and she starts to worry her bottom lip. “Do you think I should ask Seungwan-unnie? Or should I not worry her?” 

Sana shakes her head. “I don’t know, maybe you should?” 

“Didn’t we see her on that map thing before she—” Jeongyeon quickly shuts up with a glare from Nayeon, but she already slipped up. 

“What map?” Jihyo asks.

“It’s nothing.” Nayeon says quickly. 

She gets a raised eyebrow in response and gulps. Jeongyeon reaches into her bag and pulls out what looks like a piece of spare parchment. She unfolds it and clears her throat, lowly saying, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” Jihyo rolls her eyes. Of course this was a troublemaking thing. 

Momo gasps through her food and Jihyo directs her attention down to the paper, on which a map of Hogwarts is slowly appearing. It has every room in the castle and, more incredibly, a marker for every person in the castle that follows their every movement. Jihyo spots dots for herself, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, and Sana in the exact spots that they are right now at the end of the Slytherin table. 

“Where did you get this?” Jihyo hisses. 

“Filch’s office.” Nayeon remarks offhandedly. 

“Did you — oh my god, don’t tell me you stole it!” 

A sheepish look on the Slytherin third-year’s face is all Jihyo needs to confirm that yes, she and Jeongyeon did steal it from Filch’s office, presumably when they were doing the detention. Jihyo feels a recurring incessant throb resurface in her temple but pushes it down. 

“We’ll deal with this later,” She says to Nayeon and Jeongyeon, before turning her attention back to the map. 

“Now, where did you say you saw Mina?”]

\--

“Mina?” 

If the room wasn’t deadly quiet, Mina wouldn’t have heard the quivering voice quietly calling out her name. Someone must have found her. 

She jumps to her feet and turns swiftly on her heel, pulling her wand out from her robes to face the outsider. 

She’s not sure who she expected to see, but one of the last people on her list would have been Jihyo, who starts at Mina’s sudden motion and puts her hands as if to show she’s a friend. 

Mina drops her wand to her side. “Jihyo? How did you find me?” 

Jihyo just shakes her head. “I came to the hallway looking for you and the door appeared. I don’t know how.” 

“I think it appears with something you need. Why did you come looking for me? Is there something you needed?” 

Jihyo hesitates, plays with the hem of her robes. “I haven’t seen you all week and maybe even longer and I—” Jihyo stops and looks down. Mina frowns. Jihyo always voices what is on her mind. She’s never seen her this… nervous? Hesitant? Honestly, it scares her.

“Jihyo?” 

The Gryffindor raises her head and Mina can clearly see the tears glistening in her eyes. “I missed you.” 

Right then and there, Mina realizes how much time she’s spent alone without her friends. Almost every day, she gave them a weak excuse about some work she had to do or somewhere she needed to be and rushed off without giving them a word as to what she was really doing. Outside of class, it’s like she went from being around them every day to not being around them at all. She didn’t realize that she was hurting them, she just wanted time to herself. 

Jihyo looks so small as she stands in the entrance to the room and Mina can’t help but rush to her and envelop her in a hug. Jihyo quickly accepts and cries silently into the Ravenclaw’s shoulder. Mina’s heart aches as she realizes just how much she hurt her first friend and really, if she’s being true to herself, her best friend. As Jihyo’s sobs fade, Mina pulls away. She doesn’t know what to say as the Gryffindor studies the room. 

“This is so cool!” Jihyo says, though her voice is still a little thick from the recent tears and Mina has to suppress a soft chuckle. “When did you find it?” 

“Maybe a month ago?” 

“And this is where you’ve been coming after classes?” Jihyo looks at her. Mina feels a sharp pang of guilt.   
  


“Yes,” She says hesitantly. “Jihyo, I — I’m so sorry. For hiding from you and for not telling you and the others.” 

Jihyo just shakes her head softly. “No, Mina.”

Mina starts. 

Jihyo sighs. “This is probably where you come when you want to be alone.”

“Jihyo, it’s not like that. I really like to be around you guys, it’s just —”

“Mina, I understand. We’re loud and obnoxious a lot of the time. I guess I’m just used to it because I grew up knowing Nayeon and Jeongyeon, but I know that it can be completely overwhelming sometimes if you, well, if you’re like _you_. I totally get the need to have your own time, your own space. If I’m being honest, I feel it too.”

“You do?” Mina is surprised. She always thought Jihyo was one of the ones who felt most comfortable in a group, outside of Sana or maybe Nayeon. 

Jihyo nods. “And that’s why you don’t have to tell anyone about this room. It’s your quiet space.”

Overwhelmed, Mina envelops Jihyo in another hug. 

“One thing though,” Jihyo says. There’s a hint of mischief in her voice. “We don’t tell the others about this.”

“What?” Mina laughs and Jihyo nods conspiratorially.

“It’ll be our little secret.” 

\--

For the rest of the year, Mina and Jihyo sneak off to the room after class and hang out together. Jihyo sometimes brings candies and snacks sent from home, introducing Mina to the world of Peppermint Toads, Exploding Bonbons, Fizzing Whizzbees and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. In turn, Mina shows Jihyo the collection of Muggle movies she found in the room and teaches her how to play videogames, something that the competitive Jihyo has gotten very attached to and very good at in an alarmingly short amount of time. 

They try to be as inconspicuous as they can about it and whenever the friends interrogate them, they already have a set of planned, foolproof excuses for their whereabouts, dodging all suspicion with smug smirks only to laugh about it on their own later. 

For now, it’s their little secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting two days in a row look at me go.
> 
> I feel like this chapter is all over the place but I hope you enjoyed the MiHyo. I adore them.


	8. Author's Note: Wands

Hey guys, I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted a new (official) chapter, but I still haven’t figured out exactly how I want to introduce the maknaes or where I want the next few chapters to go narration-wise. In the meantime, I figured I’d give a bit of insight into the wands I think each member would have and why I chose those specifically. There’s quite a lot out there on wandlore and the more I dove into it the more interesting it became, so I thought it might be cool if I shared my thoughts with you guys. Feel free to comment what you think, this is all just speculation on my part. 

Note that while in the books many of the wand woods are based on the Celtic tree calendar, I found that the woods that I felt fit the members best were not the woods associated with their birth month on the calendar, so I chose not to follow that and instead go off of the personality and character traits associated with users of the specific wand wood. As a general rule I also disregarded the heights of the members when looking at wand length or flexibility. 

I put the basics for wand cores and length before the individual wands because there’s a lot of overlap and I don’t want to sound repetitive, but descriptions for wand wood and flexibility are with each individual member. 

Quotations for wand woods and cores come from the official site (wizardingworld.com), while the information regarding wand length and flexibility can be found here:  [ https://www.hogwartsishere.com/library/book/4761/chapter/3/ ](https://www.hogwartsishere.com/library/book/4761/chapter/3/) . 

**ON WAND CORES:**

  * **Unicorn** : “Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard.”
  * **Dragon** : “As a rule, dragon heartstrings produce wands with the most power, and which are capable of the most flamboyant spells. Dragon wands tend to learn more quickly than other types. While they can change allegiance if won from their original master, they always bond strongly with the current owner.” 
  * **Phoenix** : “Phoenix feathers are capable of the greatest range of magic, though they may take longer than either unicorn or dragon cores to reveal this. They show the most initiative, sometimes acting of their own accord, a quality that many witches and wizards dislike… These wands are the hardest to tame and to personalise, and their allegiance is usually hard won.” 



**ON WAND LENGTHS:** (I ignored abnormally short and long wands because none of the members have abnormally sized wands)

  * **Commonly Small Wands** : “Wands ranging from 9 to 10.5 inches are considered shorter than average but are common to be seen. The wizards and witches paired to these wands have a tendency to think well before acting, and their magic style is usually of elegance and neater than others. Owning a commonly small wand may, in some cases, represent that the owner cares a lot for himself or herself, which does not mean they are selfish.” 
  * **Averagely Sized Wands** : “ Most wands range from 9 to 14 inches, and those in between 10.5 and 12.5 inches are considered averagely sized. In contrast to what many think, owning a wand with average length does not mean the wizard or witch have average powers and would never triumph in life. Most accomplished figures in the history of magic were paired to averagely sized wands. It is because these wands usually seek owners who control their instincts and calculate their actions, which makes them use their magic in appropriate ways.”
  * **Commonly Big Wands** : “Wands which length is between 12.5 and 14 inches are larger than average, yet not rare to be seen. Wizards and witches who own commonly big wands usually perform louder and brighter spells than others, for their magic style and personality is of dramatic inclination, and they are moved by emotions in most cases. These wands work well for selfless owners, whose magic is preferably directed to serving others.”



Let's go!

**NAYEON:** Ebony and dragon heartstring, 13 inches, swishy

  * “This jet-black wand wood has an impressive appearance and reputation, being highly suited to all manner of combative magic, and to Transfiguration. Ebony is happiest in the hand of those with the courage to be themselves. Frequently non-conformist, highly individual or comfortable with the status of outsiders, ebony wand owners have been found both among the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix and among Death Eaters… [T]he ebony wand’s perfect match is one who will hold fast to his or her beliefs, no matter what the external pressure, and will not be swayed lightly from their purpose.” 
  * “As for swishy wands, their flashy style of magic is well suited to wizards and witches who strongly fight for particular or common issues…” 



**JEONGYEON:** Cypress and unicorn hair, 12 inches, reasonably supple

  * “Cypress wands are associated with nobility. The great medieval wandmaker, Geraint Ollivander, wrote that he was always honoured to march a cypress wand, for he knew he was meeting a witch or wizard who would die a heroic death. Fortunately, in these less blood-thirsty times, the possessors of cypress wands are rarely called upon to lay down their lives, though doubtless many of them would do so if required. Wands of cypress find their soulmates among the brave, the bold and the self-sacrificing: those who are unafraid to confront the shadows in their own and others’ natures.” 
  * “The perfectionists may be chosen by reasonably supple wands, for these wands perform consistent magic without getting tired of repetitions and keep improving their results each time.” 



**MOMO:** Hornbeam and dragon heartstring, 12 inches, rigid

  * “[H]ornbeam selects for its life mate the talented witch or wizard with a single, pure passion… which will almost always be realised. Hornbeam wands adapt more quickly than almost any other to their owner’s style of magic, and will become so personalised, so quickly, that other people will find them extremely difficult to use even for the most simple of spells. Hornbeam wands likewise absorb their owner’s code of honour, whatever that might be, and will refuse to perform acts – whether for good or ill – that do not tally with their master’s principles. A particularly fine-tuned and sentient wand.” 
  * “Rigid and solid wands perform intensely any form of magic they do, and pair well with those who like to do things in their own way.” 



**SANA:** Dogwood and phoenix feather, 12 ½ inches, swishy

  * “Dogwood wands are quirky and mischievous; they have playful natures and insist upon partners who can provide them with scope for excitement and fun. It would be quite wrong, however, to deduce from this that dogwood wands are not capable of serious magic when called upon to do so; they have been known to perform outstanding spells under difficult conditions, and when paired with a suitably clever and ingenious witch or wizard, can produce dazzling enchantments. An interesting foible of many dogwood wands is that they refuse to perform non-verbal spells and they are often rather noisy.” 
  * “As for swishy wands, their flashy style of magic is well suited to wizards and witches who strongly fight for particular or common issues…” 



**JIHYO:** Rowan and phoenix feather, 12 ½ inches, reasonably supple

  * “Rowan wood has always been much-favored for wands, because it is reputed to be more protective than any other, and in my experience renders all manner of defensive charms especially strong and difficult to break. It is commonly stated that no dark witch or wizard ever owned a rowan wand… Rowan is most happily placed with the clear-headed and the pure-hearted, but this reputation for virtue ought not to fool anyone – these wands are the equal of any, often the better, and frequently out-perform others in duels.” 
  * “The perfectionists may be chosen by reasonably supple wands, for these wands perform consistent magic without getting tired of repetitions and keep improving their results each time.” 



**MINA:** Alder and unicorn hair, 10 inches, unyielding

  * “Alder is an unyielding wood, yet … its ideal owner is not stubborn or obstinate, but often helpful, considerate and most likeable. Whereas most wand woods seek similarity in the characters of those they will best serve, alder is unusual in that it seems to desire a nature that is, if not precisely opposite to its own, then certainly of a markedly different type. When an alder wand is happily placed, it becomes a magnificent, loyal helpmate. Of all wand types, alder is best suited to non-verbal spell work, whence comes its reputation for being suitable only for the most advanced witches and wizards.” 
  * Alder is naturally unyielding, so the characteristics for unyielding wands don’t really apply nor do they really fit Mina. 



**DAHYUN:** Redwood and unicorn hair, 11 ½ inches, slightly yielding

  * “[Redwood wands] are strongly attracted to witches and wizards who already possess the admirable ability to fall on their feet, to make the right choice, to snatch advantage from catastrophe. The combination of such a witch or wizard with a redwood wand is always intriguing, and I generally expect to hear of exciting exploits when I sent this special pairing out from my workshop.” 
  * “Slightly yielding or springy wands can cast spells faster than most wands, so they pair well with wizards and witches of quick thinking.” 



**CHAEYOUNG:** Sycamore and phoenix feather, 12 inches, springy

  * “The sycamore makes a questing wand, eager for new experience and losing brilliance if engaged in mundane activities… As may be deduced, the sycamore’s ideal owner is curious, vital and adventurous, and when paired with such an owner, it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that earns it a rightful place among the world’s most highly-prized wand woods.” 
  * “Slightly yielding or springy wands can cast spells faster than most wands, so they pair well with wizards and witches of quick thinking.” 



**TZUYU:** Beech and unicorn hair, 12 inches, supple

  * “The true match for a beech wand will be, if young, wise beyond his or her years, and if full-grown, rich in understanding and experience. Beech wands perform very weakly for the narrow-minded and intolerant. … When properly matched, the beech wand is capable of a subtlety and artistry rarely seen in any other wood, hence its lustrous reputation.” 
  * “The wizards and witches best suited for supple and whippy wands are adaptive in a more cautious manner, and even if the supple wand and its owner may take a little longer to learn from each other, their results are usually the most reliable.” 



  
  


**AUTHOR’S THOUGHTS:**

So when I was doing this I had a lot of fun reading up on different wand woods and wand cores and thought about each separate part as an extension of the protagonists themselves; the wand as a whole should reflect the character of the individual to whom it belongs. Because of this, I think each wand gives good insight into who each character is and how they might react in certain situations. You can also differentiate between characters in this way, as even small things like wand length or flexibility say a lot about the witch or wizard as a whole. Each step of the process is meant to convey something about the character.

Let’s take the wand woods, for example. Ebony wands pair themselves with the courageous and self-confident, something that fits perfectly with Nayeon in this story. Jeongyeon is brave and selfless, thus a cypress wand would suit her well. Hornbeam is inclined to bond with wizards like Momo, who have a pure passion and focused drive on their sole goal. Like Sana, while dogwood wands can be playful, they are also capable of intensely powerful and beautiful magic. Rowan fits perfectly with Jihyo because of its tendency to be protective and virtuous. Alder wands seek partners who are helpful, likeable, and considerate, and Mina is a perfect foil to the nature of the alder wand itself. Adventurous wands suit Dahyun and Chaeyoung, but Dahyun’s redwood is more inclined to pair with those who have an inherent sense of self-confidence and don’t back down from risky situations, whereas the owner of a sycamore wand is the more typical adventurer: curious and bold. And beech wands perform well for open-minded individuals who are often wise beyond their years, which is something I imagine could be said of Tzuyu. 

Unicorn hair is the most common core, so it makes sense that most of the characters have it as their wand core. Regardless, the consistency of magic produced by unicorn hair cores fits well with the way Jeongyeon, Dahyun, and Tzuyu would perform magic, as I think all three of them would value this trait. Unicorn hair also communicates a sense of elegance that fits perfectly with Mina’s more charm-based non-verbal magic. Nayeon and Momo are best suited to wands with dragon heartstring cores, as they both tend to be more flamboyant and would cast spells that exceed others in sheer power. As for phoenix feather, while it is rare, I think it definitely fits in the wands for Sana, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung, all of whom possess an inherent sense of tenacity and spontaneity, a certain vivid spark that pairs well with phoenix feather cores. 

All of the wands are average in length, though most tend to be in the most common 10.5-12 range. I think this lends well to a balanced personality and countenance, a tendency to think equally about both yourself and others, to focus both on skill and instinct, just to perform magic at its most consistent and normal. Nayeon, Sana, and Jihyo have slightly longer wands, which communicates their tendency to be selfless and maybe more dramatic/brighter than some of the other members. This isn’t to say that the other members aren’t selfless, but I’d imagine these three have more spontaneous magic courtesy of a longer wand. Mina is the only one with a slightly shorter wand at 10 inches, which conveys a tendency to think well before acting, a more elegant style of magic, and a focus on oneself. Again, this isn’t to say that Mina is selfish, but I think out of the characters she would be the one to be most in tune with her own thoughts and feelings. 

Nayeon and Sana have swishy wands, which are more flashy and fit with people who advocate strongly for what they believe in. Both Jeongyeon and Jihyo’s wands are reasonably supple, producing consistent magic without wearing out and always improving. Momo’s is rigid, performing even the simplest bit of magic with great intensity. Dahyun and Chaeyoung’s slightly yielding and springy wands pair well with quick thinkers, while Tzuyu’s supple wand is cautiously adaptive and consistent when fully bonded. Mina’s is the only wand that is unyielding, but that’s because alder is a naturally unyielding wood, not because of any personality inclination. If anything, if Mina’s wand wood wasn’t alder, her wand would likely be either reasonably supple like JeongHyo’s or supple like Tzuyu’s. 

Whew! (Let me take a breath). 

That was a whole lot of ranting about stuff that honestly doesn’t really matter but I found it kind of cool and I wanted to share it with you guys. 

I hope the wands give a bit of insight into how I see all of the characters in this story and please tell me what you guys think. Are there any that aren’t the best fit? Is there a wand that you find kinda cool? Do you just wanna geek out over wandlore or Harry Potter or Twice or anything in general? Go ahead, I’m all for it and I’ll probably join you. 

That’s it for this (very long) author’s note. I’ll see you in the next chapter!

\- Alex :)


	9. To Fly From Your Fears (Dahyun)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dahyun's afraid of heights. Which is a problem, until it's not.

It’s comfortable around the Hufflepuff table, Dahyun decides as she settles down for her first feast at Hogwarts. 

For as long as she can remember, she’s pestered her parents for stories about the famous school of magic, to which they happily obliged with snippets of what their individual experiences were like. Dahyun remembers listening with wonder as they described the many moving staircases and talking portraits, the festive decorations during the holidays, and the outings with friends to the lake or to nearby Hogsmeade. Her parents always spoke of their time at Hogwarts with fondness, and it’s no wonder they did considering that it’s where they met. That story was always one of Dahyun’s favorites. 

Now that she’s here, she realizes that all of the stories don’t quite do justice to the true majesty of being at Hogwarts. Even though she knew about the squid in the Great Lake or the way the magical ceiling of the Great Hall mirrors the sky or the names of all of the House ghosts, it’s different seeing it with her own eyes. It’s like she can finally fill in the blanks in her imagination, finish the black and white pictures of Hogwarts with her own colors and faces. 

There’s a certain feeling of contentment as she sits at the table her parents so happily described, surrounded by new people who are all just as excited as she is to start a new year. As expected of Hufflepuff, her housemates are all incredibly welcoming and warm, easing any nerves she has with warm smiles and easygoing laughs. Even though they just met, Dahyun knows she’ll fit right at Hufflepuff. 

“So Dahyunie, what are you looking forward to most at Hogwarts?” Asks Sana, the third year Dahyun is currently sitting next to. When she had been sorted into Hufflepuff, Sana had scooted over on the bench and offered the open spot next to her to Dahyun, which she took gratefully. Ever since, she’s been happily chatting with those around her, slowly opening the conversation up for Dahyun to jump in whenever she felt like it. Dahyun likes it. She’s never been the loudest person, especially when she’s around new people, but Sana makes it easy. 

The returning students around her listen eagerly to her answer, all ready to chime in with their own opinions on whatever Dahyun says. She hesitates. There’s so much that she’s looking forward to, so much that she wants to experience for herself after hearing stories from her parents. But there’s one thing that she’s looking forward to more than anything else. 

“Quidditch,” She says. All around the table there are approving and agreeing nods. 

“Nice!” Momo, Sana’s best friend and fellow third-year, exclaims through a bite of food. “That’s my favorite thing about Hogwarts too! Do you play?”

Dahyun shakes her head hesitantly. “No, I don’t really play. But I’m a big fan of the sport. I’ve been watching since I was little.” 

“You know,” Sana says. “Hufflepuff’s team this year is going to be really, really good.” 

“Really?”

Momo nods vigorously. “I’m on the team, and so are Seulgi-unnie and Lisa.” She gestures to the bright and bubbly Hufflepuff prefect and a girl at the other end of the table with long brown hair, bangs, and a big smile. 

“They’re all Chasers.” Sana says as Momo pauses to take another bite of her food. 

Almost immediately, Momo swallows and continues. “Usually the other houses consider Hufflepuff Quidditch to kind of be a joke, but we’ll show them this year. The House Cup is ours.” 

Dahyun watches with awe as Momo continues to talk about Quidditch with a certain vehement passion, opening up a lively and intense conversation around the table about recent professional games and Britain’s odds for the upcoming Quidditch World Cup. Momo’s so friendly, but when she talks about Quidditch, there’s a certain spark in her eye and her words ignite with a passionate fire. She breathes Quidditch in a way that Dahyun can only dream of. 

She’s always wanted to fly, to see what it’s like to race through the clouds on a broom, speeding after the Snitch or weaving through Beaters to score with the Quaffle. There’s just always something holding her back and keeping her from feeling that feeling for herself. 

\--

“First years, pick any broom and stand beside it!” Madam Hooch says as she strides onto the grounds, whistle and broomstick in hand. The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff first years huddle together, but hesitantly move to follow Madam Hooch’s instruction, slowly dispersing to the broomsticks spaced out around the grounds. “Quickly now, we haven’t got all day,” the Quidditch professor admonishes, prompting the few stragglers to pep up and make their way over to the unclaimed brooms. 

As she stands beside her broom, Dahyun gulps. Pretty much all of the first years are going through basically the same thing: next to none of them have ever flown before and this being their first lesson, there are understandably worries filling each of their minds, especially those of the Muggleborns who are just getting themselves settled into this strange new world. 

Dahyun is no stranger to Quidditch. She’s been watching the sport avidly for as long as she can remember and considers herself a diehard supporter of the Holyhead Harpies. She basically grew up watching Ginny Weasley play and ever since has idolized the professionals who can call the sport their life’s work. She knows practically everything by heart: the terms, the positions, the plays. They’ve been ingrained in her for a very, very long time. 

But as she eyes the broom lying on the ground right next to her, Dahyun feels a sense of dread fill every pore of her being. 

“Everyone, hold your right hand out straight above your broom and say ‘up’,” Madam Hooch calls. “Firmly, like you mean it, otherwise your broom won’t be very inclined to listen to you. That’s it, just a little louder, Griffiths.” 

Dahyun takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and shakily says, “Up.” Her broom is slower than most, as if it can feel the hesitance and doubt in her voice, but nevertheless after a few moments she feels the rough, worn edge of the school broomstick rubbing against her hand. 

“Mount your brooms.” Madam Hooch says, and the first years clamber up onto the brooms, their feet just inches above the ground. She goes up and down the line, correcting their grips when necessary, and nods when she’s finished, satisfied. 

With every passing minute, Dahyun gets more and more nervous. This is just the easy part, she’s done this a lot with her parents and brother at home, at times desperate to fly for herself. She’s always been able to mount a broom with ease, knowing exactly how to do it from seeing her idols in the paper or watching them play. 

Then come the fateful words. 

“Now then, once you’re settled, kick off the ground hard and elevate up to a few meters, then come straight back down,” Madam Hooch says. “We’re just going to get a feel for flying today, nothing too difficult.”

Dahyun screws her eyes shut, breathing heavily as the first few flyers take off around her, hesitance making way as they let out whoops of excitement. The number of first years on the ground is progressively lessening and Dahyun doesn’t want to be one of the last ones up. Against all of her inhibitions, she counts down in her head and pushes off the ground, keeping her eyes firmly shut as her broom starts to elevate up into the air. 

Rather than the feeling of pure unadulterated freedom that bursts through her fellow first years expressions, Dahyun feels an even more piercing fear engulf her as she goes higher and higher. She doesn’t dare to take her hands off from their vice-like grip on the handle of her broom, but curiosity gets the better of her and she opens her eyes ever so slightly just to see how high she is. 

That turns out to be a mistake, as immediately she realizes that she is, in fact, a good deal more than a few meters above the ground. 

_The ground._

That’s all that engulfs Dahyun’s vision and she instantly closes her eyes, but the damage is done. Her fear of heights is so disorienting that it makes Dahyun freeze in her seat. The moisture on her hands weakens her grip and the next thing she knows, she’s sliding out of position and slipping off of her broom. One of the first years on the ground lets out a shout just in time and Madam Hooch turns just as she completely loses control and starts to fall back down to the grass. 

The wind whistles in Dahyun’s ears as she plummets, but mere inches above the ground she stops, her fall halted by magic from Madam Hooch. 

She still hits the soft grass, but rather than feeling a hard physical impact, a lump of shame instead finds its way into Dahyun’s gut. _She can’t do it. She still can’t fly._

As soon as class ends, Dahyun hurries back inside, desperate to hide the defeated tears that well up behind her eyes. 

\--

“Dahyun?”

The voice that breaks through the silence of the Hufflepuff girls’ dormitory is enough to break Dahyun out of her stupor. For pretty much the entirety of the rest of the day, she’s been hiding from her housemates as much as she can, keeping to herself between classes and escaping to solitude at every opportunity. It’s hard not interacting with them, but she can’t bear to see the judgement in her fellow first years’ eyes. Not right now, when everything is so raw and fresh and _hopeless_. This had been her last chance to get over her fear, she told herself when she first came to the school. If she couldn’t fly in the first year lessons, then she wouldn’t be able to fly at all. She’s stuck on the ground watching her friends experience what she’s been dreaming of for her entire life. 

Dahyun gets up from her seat on the corner of the bed, her head down so that she doesn’t have to see the person entering the room, and tries to move out of the room to find a new place to hide, when she runs right into a warm embrace. 

“Dahyunie, it’s just me.” Sana holds Dahyun in her arms, keeping her from leaving and gently pulling her head up so she can meet her eyes. Dahyun knows Sana sees the dejection on her face when concern fills her expressive orbs. 

“Sana-unnie, I– It’s nothing,” She feels compelled to reply. “I just needed some time away.” 

“I know.” At Sana’s words, Dahyun relaxes, stops fighting against the third year’s arms. 

Dahyun shakes in Sana’s embrace, overwhelmed. “It’s been a long day.” 

“You know, we’re all here if you want to talk about it. Me and Momo, and Nayeon and Jeongyeon and Jihyo and Mina.” Sana says as she gently steers Dahyun over to a nearby couch, sitting down next to her and offering a comforting hand. 

“Unnie, I…” Dahyun pauses, not sure where to start but realizing that Sana’s offering something she needs right now: a shoulder to cry on. Slowly but surely, the words come out of Dahyun’s mouth. She’s at first hesitant, but Sana listens carefully and closely without interruption, dutifully catching every word Dahyun says and eventually the whole experience comes out. 

“I feel like a failure,” Dahyun says. “Like I’ve been wanting to fly my whole life, but this stupid fear is holding me back and I won’t ever be able to do it, no matter what I try. I’m just not strong enough.” 

“Oh, Dahyunie…” Sana pulls Dahyun into her arms, holding her close. “It’s okay.” Dahyun doesn’t know how long she sits there, sobbing in Sana’s embrace as the older girl combs her fingers gently through her hair and softly consoles her. 

“You know, playing Quidditch is overrated.” Sana says as she starts to calm down. 

“Really?” Dahyun sniffles. 

“Yeah. I tried out for the house team last year because Momo wanted me to and honestly, it wasn’t even all that fun. You don’t even know what you’re doing half the time and it’s so cold flying up there, especially in winter.” Sana shivers dramatically and Dahyun chuckles hoarsely. “Not a great experience.” 

“Hmm.” 

“It’s way more exciting in the stands than it is actually playing, trust me.”

\--

As it turns out, Sana is right. 

It’s the first match of the season, and while Dahyun might not be out there zooming around the pitch for Hufflepuff’s Quidditch team, she’s definitely having just as much fun cheering them on in the stands with her friends. They’ve divided themselves equally amongst the teams, which Dahyun learns is tradition amongst the girls considering there’s at least one of them in each house team and that makes it downright impossible to throw their support all to one person and ignore the other. This time, it’s of course Sana and Dahyun supporting Hufflepuff alongside Mina, while Jihyo and Jeongyeon grudgingly root for Nayeon. 

It’s funny really, sitting alongside the other girls. Sana, as per usual, is clueless when it comes to Quidditch, but still supports Momo wholeheartedly. As Gryffindors, Jihyo and Jeongyeon are weak supporters of Slytherin at best, which essentially leaves Mina torn between supporting Momo like she promised and switching to Nayeon out of pity. 

The game is fast-paced and exciting right out of the gates, and Dahyun immediately notes that Hufflepuff’s chasers are amongst the best she’s seen. Of course Momo is spectacular, but so are Seulgi and Lisa, and while they’d be formidable on their own, together they form an attacking tandem that is near impossible to stop. Just watching them weave amongst each other brings a thrill that Dahyun has never felt from Quidditch before, and she isn’t even playing. 

It’s then and there that Dahyun really learns for the first time that maybe not being able to actually play isn’t the worst thing after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I changed the summary. Idk if this one is better. Sorry for the wait and please excuse the horrible chapter title, apparently my brain does not function very well at midnight. 
> 
> edit: (So I changed the chapter title, for those of you who saw the original lmao I'm sorry this one is 10000% better)


	10. The First Hogsmeade (Jeongyeon)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which many sweets are bought, sights are seen, and friendships are strengthened.

As yet another school year starts to pick up steam, a certain notice posted up in the Great Hall and in each of the House dormitories catches the eye of all students in their third year and above. It’s the date of the first Hogsmeade visit, and as the weather starts to get a bit chillier, it’s coming just around the corner. The atmosphere in the Gryffindor common room is toastier than normal, Jeongyeon can tell, as everyone looks forward to spending a day in the nearby village, away from the stress of classes, detention, and homework. 

“Both of you got your permission slips signed, right?” Sana asks at breakfast one day, her eyes shining with excitement. 

Across from her at the Ravenclaw table, she eagerly nods at her friend in tandem with Momo, huge grins on both of their faces as they tuck into their respective stacks of pancakes. 

“I can’t wait!” Their cheery Hufflepuff friend exclaims. From what Jeongyeon can tell, pretty much the rest of Hogwarts agrees. Most of the students, apart, of course, from the first and second years, are dressed not in their normal school robes but in casual clothes: jeans, sweaters, scarves, and hats perfect for a day out exploring the village. 

“You know, Hogsmeade isn’t all that you make it out to be,” Nayeon remarks offhandedly, but behind the comment is a grin that shows that she is just as eager to have fun as the rest of her friends. 

“There are so many places we need to visit!” 

“Honeydukes for sure,” Momo says. “We need to stock up on sweets. I’ll make sure to bring some back for you, Minaring!” The younger Ravenclaw smiles her usual gummy smile at the comment, ready to agree with everything Momo says. 

“Oh, that reminds me,” Nayeon says, turning to address the three younger ones who have a couple years left until they too can join in the fun. “What are you guys going to be doing when we’re out at Hogsmeade?” 

“I’m not sure,” Mina says. “I hadn’t really given it a lot of thought. Probably just relax in the common room, I suppose.” 

“I was going to find a quiet place to relax and finish up homework. Want to join me, Minari?” Jihyo says as she looks pointedly at Mina. The two second years share a glance at each other before Mina agrees, obviously knowing something that Jeongyeon can’t quite place. 

“Dahyun-ah, you can come too if you want.” Mina says softly to their youngest, but Dahyun just shakes it off with a grin. 

“I was going to head down to Hagrid’s and help him out. I think he said the bowtruckles need some tending to. But thanks for the offer, Mina-unnie.” 

“That’s nice,” Nayeon says with a gentle smile, one that quickly turns wickedly mischievous. “Wouldn’t want to think you guys would be bored without my presence gracing your every moment.” Jihyo and Dahyun respond with a snort and a playful eye roll respectively and Mina just softly smiles, then everyone, Nayeon included, breaks out into laughter. 

“Anyways, talking of places to visit,” Jeongyeon says. “We should definitely go to Zonko’s.” 

“The joke shop?” Nayeon says thoughtfully. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

“Ooh, and the Shrieking Shack!” Sana adds. “I’ve always wanted to see that.” 

“We’ll have time for everything,” Nayeon says, her tone bursting with experience that honestly makes the rest of them laugh considering that she’s only really a year above them and hasn’t been to Hogsmeade _that_ many more times. 

As breakfast draws to a close, Jeongyeon and the others say a cheery goodbye to Jihyo, Mina, and Dahyun before following the prefects out past the castle and down towards the quaint little village. 

\--

Like many of the other students, the quartet decide that their first stop is Honeydukes. Customers flow in and out of the door and inside, the colorful candy shop is packed to the brim with students stocking up on their favorite magical sweets. 

“Look Jeong! No-Melt Ice Cream! And Drooble’s Best Blowing Gum! And Jelly Slugs!” 

Jeongyeon allows herself to be immersed in the sights and smells as she follows Momo around the shop, occasionally stopping to take a look at something for herself. There are small tasting stations for certain sweets and they make sure to stop at all of them, grabbing the free samples as soon as they’re ready to be taken. 

Eventually, the four circle back around and meet up again in the center of the shop, their arms laden with goodies to take back to Hogwarts. 

“What did you guys get?” Jeongyeon asks, peeking around at her friends’s hauls to make sure they didn’t repeat the same thing. Momo’s arms are the most full, stacked with Cauldron Cakes, exploding bonbons, Ice Mice and pumpkin pasties. Next to her, Sana carries an assortment of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and Jelly Slugs, while Nayeon holds a pack of Acid Pops and treacle fudge and sips a pumpkin fizz. 

“I think this is plenty for all of us, don’t you think?” 

“Did you guys get anything for the others?” 

“Yep,” Jeongyeon confirms, holding up a pack of Sugar Quills for Jihyo, while Momo juggles Peppermint Toads for Mina and Sana pulls out Dahyun’s Chocoballs. 

“Great! Now if we’ve all paid, let’s get out of here. There’s so much stuff to do!” 

\--

Their next shop is the Shrieking Shack. 

Actually, it’s more _near_ the Shrieking Shack than actually inside it, as they all take one look at the rickety old structure and decide against going anywhere near it. Instead, they all stand well behind the fence and share stories and facts about the shack. 

“I heard it’s haunted.” 

“Come on Momoring, we know that isn’t true. If it was haunted, then why has no one seen or heard the ghosts in the shack in decades?” 

“Maybe they moved away?” 

“I heard that Harry Potter fought against Sirius Black in there!” 

“No, didn’t he fight with Sirius Black against Snape?” 

“I think it’s where they found Pettigrew.” 

“We should ask Mina. She’s probably read about this in a book somewhere and knows more about it than we do.” 

“Mina knows more about everything than we do.” 

“Right. I can bet we’ll be relying on her to pass our exams for the rest of our years here.” 

“Definitely.” 

In the company of great friends and incessant laughter, the Shrieking Shack doesn’t feel nearly as spooky or scary as it’s made out to be, but soon the cold air gets the better of them and they hurry back to the village, bundled up in their jackets and scarves and vowing that when they come back next time, they’ll take a try at the shack. 

Jeongyeon has to laugh at the earnest look on Momo and Sana’s faces as they say that, knowing full well that the next time around will just be more of the same. She wouldn’t dare go into the Shrieking Shack alone, but maybe with some friends it might be a different story. 

\--

“Ugh, do you see the line outside of Zonko’s? We’ll be waiting out there for hours.” Nayeon groans as they approach the village to see that the crowd outside the popular joke shop hasn’t subsided even a bit since morning. 

“Still, it’s worth going inside. There are a few things I’ve had my eye on for a while, I’m not going to wait for the next Hogsmeade weekend to get them.” Jeongyeon says as she steps into the line. “You going to join, unnie?” 

Nayeon steps up next to her with a grin. “If you’re going, guess I’ll have to come with.” 

“I want to check out Spintwitches,” Momo says. “They might have some cool stuff for my broom.” 

“I’ll go with Momoring then, and you two can check out Zonko’s.” Sana adds as she locks hers and Momo’s arms at the elbow. 

“Okay,” Jeongyeon says. “Meet back here once we’re done?” 

The four nod and go their separate ways, Momo and Sana heading towards the sporting shop and Jeongyeon and Nayeon continuing into Zonko’s. 

[When they meet an hour later, the Gryffindor’s and Slytherin’s arms are laden with Dungbombs, Frog Spawn Soap, Nose-Biting Teacups, and even more devious devices, twin mischievous grins on their faces as they imagine the pranking possibilities that can be achieved with their latest haul. Sana and Momo share a knowing look, able to predict with perfect precision that Jihyo’s headaches will increase in number and intensity over the next few weeks in trying to keep her best friends out of trouble.]

\--

“Oh, this is a nice way to end today!” Sana murmurs as they enter their last stop, the Three Broomsticks. Even though it’s the afternoon, the cold still bites at their faces and turns their noses and cheeks a flushed red, but the warm, smoky, inviting aura of the pub beckons them all in. 

They slide into a small booth, just barely fitting because of all of the bags and boxes they carry with them. A waiter comes over and Nayeon orders four hot butterbeers. Jeongyeon moves to pull some coins from her pocket but Nayeon stops her with a hand, passing over a few Sickles to the waiter. 

“You guys bought stuff for the others, it’s only fair that I pay this time around.” 

“But–” 

Jeongyeon’s protests are quickly intercepted. “Think of it as my treat.” 

The gentle smile on Nayeon’s face and warm look in her eyes make something in Jeongyeon’s chest flutter for a second and her cheeks flush red. She quickly hides her face, hoping that her friends don’t catch her. Thankfully, Nayeon and Momo seem not to notice, though from the corner of her eye she sees Sana shoot her a sly smile as the butterbeers come down to their table and everyone becomes preoccupied with the hot drink. 

They sit mostly in comfortable silence, occasionally chatting between sips of butterbeer. It’s uneventful, but Jeongyeon likes it, the closeness between them, the quiet comfort of the Three Broomsticks, and the thought that in future years, there will be more than just four of them to share this with. 

Well, it’s mostly uneventful, until Nayeon gets up to leave and is immediately jostled by a passing student. She lets out a shocked yelp as the front of her sweater gets sloshed in butterbeer, but rather than apologizing, the passing figure just turns to smirk at them. 

Jeongyeon’s mood is immediately soured. It’s Avery and the rest of his Slytherin gang. 

“Whoops, sorry about that Im. I didn’t see you there.” Avery says in a tone that very much communicates that he did see her there and had every intention to ruin her clothes, and the rest of his brainless lackeys laugh. 

“Avery,” Nayeon practically growls, turning to stand face to face with her fellow Slytherin fourth year. 

“Maybe it’s what you deserve, hanging out with losers like this.” Jeongyeon’s blood boils and she rises from the table, her hands balled into fists. “You should know better, honestly, befriending blood traitors and Order scum. Though I suppose I should have expected it, seeing as your parents are just as much traitors as theirs.” 

“Don’t you dare–” 

“Honestly Im, you’re a disgrace to your house. I thought I might be able to help you, but every time you disappoint me. Not just befriending blood traitors, but actual Mudbloods.” At this slight against Mina, both Momo and Sana rise from the table as well. 

“But my father’s got friends who’ll see that they all get what they deserve, trust me.” 

Nayeon opens her mouth to respond, but is beaten to it by her friends. 

“Nayeon’s parents are heroes,” Jeongyeon says lowly. “They’re respected amongst the best of wizards. That’s more than can be said of yours, Avery.” 

“Of course you would say that Yoo. Spilling Order propaganda like you were born to.” 

“You’re the disgrace to your house,” Momo adds, glaring at Avery. “Always parading around like a peacock, announcing your blood status as if you’re a king when in reality you have done nothing. Nayeon is kind, caring, loyal, brave, smart, everything she could possibly be. People admire her because of her actions, not because of her last name. Next to her, you’re nothing.” 

“That’s rich coming from you, Hirai.” Though Avery fights to maintain control, behind his eyes Jeongyeon can see the wheels turning as he realizes that this might not be a fight he can win if it comes to it. 

It’s Sana who really scares them off. 

With fire in her eyes, she slides out of the booth and stands shoulder to shoulder with Nayeon. “Get away from them,” she growls, her tone every bit as low and menacing as theirs and then some. 

They all simultaneously flick their wands out from their robes and fear flicks across Avery’s face. 

Nayeon smirks, knowing she’s won. “Be careful, Avery. My blood traitors and Order scum might just be more than you can handle.” 

There’s a stare off for a moment, then Avery backs off with a sneer and leaves the Three Broomsticks. Nayeon sighs sadly and seems to deflate. 

“Are you okay, unnie?” Momo asks. 

Nayeon nods. “Yeah, just a bit wet.” She looks down to her clothes, but with a quick heating charm from Sana, they dry off comfortably. 

“Thanks,” Nayeon says appreciatively as she moves to leave the bar, but as the rest of them follow her they know that something is on her mind. 

It’s silent for almost the entire trip back up to the castle, but eventually it becomes too much to bear. 

“Unnie, what’s wrong?” Sana’s voice breaks the silence. 

Nayeon stops walking. “You didn’t have to stand up for me.” Her voice is soft and somewhat broken, and there’s something shuttered behind her eyes, glassy with tears. Jeongyeon has never seen her look so small. 

“Yes, we did. We’re your friends.” Momo says emphatically. 

“He wasn’t trying to get to you, he was trying to get to me. I’ve been dealing with Avery for years. I can handle him. Now he’ll be looking to hurt you just as much as me.” 

“Well, he kind of made it personal when he started insulting us.” Momo chuckles darkly. 

“I know,” Nayeon says. “It’s just… I feel like I’m responsible for his coming after you because I’m friends with you.” 

“Unnie, you could never be responsible for that.” Sana says softly, but by now Nayeon has started to break down. 

“It’s always been my family against everyone else,” Nayeon says shakily. “So to have someone else by my side, it’s–” The rest of her sentence is cut off by a choked sob, and Jeongyeon immediately goes to wrap Nayeon in the biggest hug possible, followed in quick succession by Sana and Momo. 

“Nayeon, listen to me,” Jeongyeon murmurs into the older girl’s hair. “You’re the best friend and unnie any of us could have. What Avery thinks doesn’t matter. Through everything, we’ll always be your friends. Me, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, all of us. When Avery says something bad about you, it’s our responsibility to stand up to it.”

\--

When they finally get back to the castle, physically weighed down by bags but emotionally much lighter, they first meet up with Jihyo, Mina, and Dahyun in the Great Hall, where they split the sweets and regale them with tales of their first Hogsmeade visit. The customary hug that they share before they inevitably have to split up and go back to their common rooms is tighter, closer, and warmer than ever. 

Jeongyeon means it, what she says to Nayeon that night before they part ways. 

“You don’t ever have to be alone again, not when we’re by your side.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think and look forward to more chapters coming soon! :)


	11. Regaining Glory (Momo)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been literal decades since Hufflepuff has won the Inter-House Quidditch Cup, and there's a new rivalry in town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quidditch is one of my favorite parts of the wizarding world so this chapter was a lot of fun to write. Hope you enjoy!

It’s late May. The snow that blankets the grounds has long melted, grey clouds of winter retreating back to reveal sunny skies, warm mornings, and fresh blades of deep green grass that sprout all around the castle. It’s now warm enough for students to take their things outside, and with end-of-year exams coming up, there are groups of all ages studying by the crystal-clear surface of the Great Lake or simply enjoying some time out on the grounds under the warm sun. 

Even though the end of the term is fast arriving, late May also signifies something even better, something that excites the school much more than the prospect of going home for the summer. It’s the fourth weekend of May. Which means it’s officially the end of Quidditch season. The final game is just ahead. And the stakes couldn’t be higher. 

In previous years, either Gryffindor or Slytherin were the mainstays in the Inter-House Quidditch Cup, each sharing streaks of winning years for more than two decades. But, if this season is any indication, that past is far from certain. Though Gryffindor and Slytherin have strong teams – Gryffindor with a young but steady Keeper in Jeongyeon and Nayeon leading the attack for Slytherin – Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw smashed the stalwarts in their opening games and now stand tied for first, both 350 points up. What’s more, they play some of the most exciting Quidditch the school has seen in ages, reinvigorating excitement for the sport amongst their respective housemates and making each Quidditch season a lot more interesting. 

And now it all boils down to this: Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw in the final match of the season. 

The excitement in the air on the morning of the match couldn’t be more palpable. 

As Momo exits the common room alongside her teammates, the rest of Hufflepuff House treats them like heroes, basking in the glory that exudes from their Quidditch team for the first time since the likes of Cedric Diggory graced the squad. They walk down to breakfast together and only separate when they get to the Great Hall, Momo heading down to the Gryffindor table where her friends await after shooting Seulgi, Lisa, and the rest of the team a confident grin. 

She accepts a tight hug from Sana as she approaches before sliding into the booth next to Mina. The Ravenclaw would be dressed almost identical to her if not for the deep blue and bronze horizontal stripes on her jumper, contrasting horribly with Momo’s canary yellow and black. 

“You ready, Minari?” Momo says, playfully nudging the younger girl’s shoulder with her own. Mina just responds with a faint nod, a forced smile on her face. In her lap, Momo can see Mina playing with her fingers and the hem of her robe nervously, though Jihyo’s arm is already around Mina’s shoulder before Momo can do anything of her own accord to calm her friend. The Gryffindor doesn’t say anything and she doesn’t have to as Mina visibly relaxes just with the touch. Momo smiles knowingly before turning her attention to breakfast. 

“Well, if it isn't our two potential Quidditch Cup champions!” A proud Nayeon announces as she takes a seat at the table, the last of the friend group to arrive. “Who are we rooting for this time?” 

She doesn’t even really need to ask. Sana and Dahyun are dressed in as much yellow as possible, obviously supporting their own house team to victory for the first time in forever. They’re joined by Jeongyeon, who spots a yellow and black scarf around her neck instead of Gryffindor’s normal red and gold. Next to Mina, Jihyo has blue and bronze streaks painted on her cheeks. Nayeon, seeing the overwhelming Hufflepuff love amongst the group, needs only to flick her wand and the silver and green on her sweater makes way for the Ravenclaw colors. 

“Sorry Mina-unnie, but it’ll be Hufflepuff for sure,” Dahyun says with a grin as she spoons some eggs onto her plate. 

“Yeah, for sure,” Jeongyeon agrees. “Your chasers are just too good. I mean, Momo obviously, but then you add Seulgi-unnie and Lisa? Insane. No one has been able to stop Hufflepuff all year.” 

“I wouldn’t count out Ravenclaw just yet,” Nayeon responds. “Not when they have the fastest Seeker since Harry Potter.” 

“Unnie…” Mina murmurs into her hands, embarrassed, but Jihyo just looks at her gently. 

“It’s true, Minari. You’re amazing. My money’s on Ravenclaw for sure.” 

“Why are you even supporting Ravenclaw, unnie?” Jeongyeon says teasingly. “Didn’t they flatten Slytherin in your match?” 

“Yeah,” Momo joins with a laugh. “As far I recall, Mina caught the Snitch before you guys could even score.” 

“Hey!” Nayeon says. “From what I remember, Gryffindor didn’t fare much better against Hufflepuff. What was the final score again? 350 to 90?” 

The conversation quickly turns into rounds of laughter as they call back memories of previous Quidditch matches, emphatically underscoring the complete dominance that Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw demonstrated as Nayeon and Jeongyeon attempt to outdo each other. It’s nice to hear the support from either side, Momo can feel herself relaxing despite all of the tension and from the corner of her eye can see in Mina something similar. 

Then the team captains are calling for their players, the volume of the Great Hall increasing significantly as the entirety of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw cheer on their teams, Slytherin and Gryffindor mixing in on either side. Mina takes a shaky breath as she gets up from the table and Momo, sensing the girl’s tension, wraps her in a hug, whispering quick reassurances to the younger and telling her that she’ll do great. They stick together as long as they can before they inevitably have to separate, heading to their respective team tents as they prepare to go up against each other for the first time in the biggest match of the season. 

\--

“Alright guys,” Seulgi says to her team as they huddle in their tent, the match mere minutes away. “This is it. First, I just want to say that it has been an absolute pleasure to be a part of Hufflepuff Quidditch for the past 6 years. I’ve seen a lot of great teams and been on quite a few myself, but without a doubt, in the seven years that I’ve been at Hogwarts, this is the best team that I’ve ever had the pleasure of being a part of, hands down. It’s been an honor to captain you guys this year and no matter what happens, I’ll always be proud of all of you, and I’m sure that Hufflepuff Quidditch will continue to be great even after I graduate because of how talented all of you are.

“That being said,” There’s a certain fire in Seulgi’s eyes and her voice makes way for determination, though there are still clear strains of pride in her words. “Hufflepuff hasn’t won the Inter-House Cup in nearly 3 decades. This is the best team we’ve had, ever. And if anyone can break that streak, it’s us.” 

“We’ll win this year, Seulgi-unnie. For you,” Lisa promises, everyone else voicing their agreement at the statement from their youngest member. 

“Let’s talk strategy. Ravenclaw is pretty good, but there’s no way that they’ll be able to hang with our scoring up front. I guarantee they’re going to be looking to catch the Snitch early. That means you’re going to have a lot of responsibilities as the game starts, Taehyung.”

“I’ll keep close to Myoui, keep her as distracted as possible to buy you guys enough time to build a lead,” The fifth-year Seeker affirms, to which Seulgi nods and continues. 

“Ravenclaw’s attack isn’t as prolific as some of the others that we’ve seen, but when they’re comfortable they can do a lot of damage. If they get a lead early, they’ll probably look to sit in and hold it for as long as they can. The only way to win against that kind of offense is to score.” 

Momo shares a wicked grin with Lisa and Seulgi. “That’s what we’re best at.” 

“Exactly,” Seulgi smirks. “I’m not usually one to brag, but we’ve got the three best Chasers in the entire school. And we’re not going to let anyone stand in the way of us and that trophy. Hufflepuff on three! One, two, three!”

“HUFFLEPUFF!” The whole team bellows, anticipation and adrenaline for the match flowing freely through their veins as they grab their brooms and exit the tent to the roars of the entire school. 

\--

The atmosphere is tense as Seulgi walks to the center of the pitch, firmly shaking hands with Junmyeon, the Ravenclaw captain and Keeper. Then everyone is taking their positions and Madam Hooch’s whistle blows shrilly, the Snitch shoots out from its box and the Quaffle is tossed up into the air. 

Lisa gets the Quaffle straight out of the toss-up and is suddenly at Ravenclaw’s hoop, Seulgi and Momo just behind her as she maneuvers around Junmyeon and slots the ball through the left-most ring. 

The crowd goes wild as the announcer screams, “ _And it’s in from Manoban! That’s 10-0, Hufflepuff!”_

Ravenclaw barely has the Quaffle for a few seconds before Hufflepuff wins it back, Seulgi snatching the free-falling ball out of the air as one of Ravenclaw’s Chasers loses control in the face of a stray Bludger. Momo follows as Seulgi swerves around another Bludger and tosses it into Lisa’s waiting arms. The second-year Chaser shoots upwards with it and the Ravenclaws follow, opening a spot below that Momo shoots into just as Lisa drops the Quaffle for her. Momo tucks the ball safely against her body as she spins around an incoming Bludger, opening just enough space for her to slot the Quaffle into the middle ring for another score. 

“ _Hirai scores off of the Porskoff Ploy to make it 20-0! And Hufflepuff wins the Quaffle right back!”_

Seulgi shoots down the center lane, Lisa and Momo in close formation just behind her, taking advantage of Ravenclaw being out of position to score yet again. 

_“That’s incredible! Kang gets the Quaffle right off of another Ravenclaw giveaway and shoots straight down the middle in Hawkshead Formation to score! Wonderful Quidditch on display here from Hufflepuff, who have come out of the gates shooting on all cylinders! Ravenclaw needs to recover fast if they want to have any chance in this match.”_

Ravenclaw, as it turns out, does not recover fast. By the time Jisoo manages to slot their first score through, Hufflepuff are already 80 points up and scoring non-stop, putting two more shots through the hoop to Ravenclaw’s one. It feels like practice really, the ease at which Momo is able to connect with Seulgi and Lisa and score. It’s not even fair. 

The game seems to be going pretty well until the announcer is suddenly screaming, _“I think Myoui’s seen the Snitch!”_ Momo looks at the scoreboard in panic: it reads HUFFLEPUFF 100 - RAVENCLAW 10, they’re not ahead by enough points for them to win. She turns her head to where Mina is streaking up in the sky after a flash of glittering gold, Taehyung right on her heels, and hopes for some sort of distraction to keep Mina away from the Snitch. It comes in two forms as Mina has to dodge a desperate Bludger, which in turn gives Taehyung just enough time to slightly jostle her and break her concentration. In the stands, the Hufflepuff supporters sigh as the Ravenclaw ones groan when Mina loses her eye on the Snitch and breaks off her run. 

“We need to score as much as we can to get to more than 150 up!” Seulgi screams over the cheering of the crowd. “Otherwise we’ll be risking a loss!” 

Back in the game and with newfound concentration, Momo puts her head down and, alongside her two fellow Chasers, puts up a renewed offensive attack, pushing forward in wave after wave that has the crowd screaming louder and louder every time. 

It’s 160-10 when Momo sees a sudden flash of blue shoot down out of the corner of her eye, and she doesn’t need a second look to know that this time, Mina’s going to catch the Snitch. 

“Unnie!” She screams, but she knows her captain saw it too from the hard set that forms in her jaw and the sudden glint in her eyes. In a rush, Seulgi moves the Quaffle up the pitch with a quick pass to Lisa, who is instantly swarmed by three different Ravenclaws. Somehow she gets around them and is just able to move the Quaffle ahead into the open space that Momo rushes towards. 

She grabs the Quaffle and turns, seeing all of the Ravenclaws minus Mina streaking straight for her. Mina’s almost on the Snitch now, she’s only a couple yards away and closing fast. If she catches it now, the score will be tied and Ravenclaw will win on a technicality. Momo has to score. 

The first Ravenclaw is beaten back by a well-placed Bludger. She quickly maneuvers around the next two, streaking towards the hoops, only Junmyeon to beat. 100 feet below her, Mina is 6 feet away, then 5, then 4, leaning forward, her hand outstretched, the Snitch mere inches from her grasp. 

Momo makes for the left-most hoop and Junmyeon takes the bait, following her path until she feints and changes directions at the very last moment, twisting her body around on her broom to push the Quaffle through the open hoop on the right. The scoreboard dings mere hundredths of a second before Mina secures the Snitch in her hand and raises it triumphantly, just moments too late. 

The crowd roars as the announcer screams, “ _HUFFLEPUFF WINS! 170 - 160 TO THE BADGERS AFTER HIRAI’S SCORE! HUFFLEPUFF WINS, BUT MYOUI GETS THE SNITCH!”_

There’s a feeling of incredulous euphoria that grows in Momo’s chest, but the four sudden impacts against her side ground her in reality as her teammates wrap her in a hug, Seulgi and Lisa screaming incoherently in each ear. _We did it, we actually did it! We won!_

Somewhere after touching back down on the ground, Momo separates from the hugs of her teammates and is wrapped in many new ones as her friends race down from the stands to congratulate her. Sana clutches her tightly and Dahyun is practically sobbing against her robes, if her ears weren’t already ringing from the shouts of her teammates and the roar of the crowd, then Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Jihyo’s screams are more than enough to make her head spin and fill all of her senses with sound. 

Mina stands a few feet away and as everyone else slowly releases Momo, she approaches and gently embraces Momo, murmuring her congratulations softly into the older’s ear as the wings of the Snitch beat feebly in one of her hands. 

“You did so well, Minari,” Momo murmurs back before she’s being pulled away to the center of the pitch. Though there is some disappointment on the Ravenclaw’s face, pride shines through her eyes as her gaze falls on the Hufflepuffs getting ready to hoist the cup, and she settles back with the rest of her friends at the edge of the field, humbly accepting their praise. 

When a crying Seulgi takes the cup and triumphantly hoists it into the air to the roar of the Hufflepuff supporters, Momo’s heart is close to bursting from all of the emotions that suddenly wrack her body. 

It’s the best feeling on the planet, winning the cup for Hufflepuff, and even though their team might be drastically different next year with Seulgi’s graduation and the prospect of new talent, Momo will do absolutely anything she can to be feeling this feeling again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The match between Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw is pretty heavily based on Ireland-Bulgaria from the Quidditch World Cup in the Goblet of Fire, with Hufflepuff's chaser line against Ravenclaw's seeker. 
> 
> Also this is the last chapter from this year at Hogwarts, which means Chaeyoung and Tzuyu are coming soon! Stay tuned!


	12. In Silence (Tzuyu)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In an unfamiliar world, Tzuyu doesn't want to be different.

In silence, Tzuyu learns.

She’s no stranger to unfamiliar situations. When she was seven, her family moved from Tainan to London on the back of global expansion of her parents’ company. It had been hard saying goodbye to her friends and her home, but even more so making a new life in a bustling city that ran, thrived, on a language that she had little knowledge of. She had no friends, no family apart from her parents, nowhere to turn to in the unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells of London. The first few years she spent in pensive silence, often getting teased for standing at the edge of everything and watching as the other kids played, talked, laughed.

Then, silence helped her to soak in everything that was going on. She listened to the way the other kids spoke, what they said, what they enjoyed, taking in every bit of information she could. When she finally started speaking, not just the few answers required in school or the usual polite phrases when she met strangers, but to those few she considered friends, they were all surprised by her slow, quiet confidence.

For a long time, she considered moving to be the most unfamiliar situation she has ever been in.

But even that doesn't compare to the whole new world that she only recently realized she was a part of.

She's been able to do strange things for a while, like make certain things explode when she was angry or make flowers bloom even when it wasn't their season, and sometimes had an imagination wilder than most, full of bursts of light and weird-sounding words. Her parents knew about it, but were either too scared or too skeptical to do anything about it. After all, what would they tell the doctor if they were to visit one? That their child had weird, unexplainable powers? Not exactly something anyone would believe.

Then, on her 11th birthday, she got the letter that explained everything. The letter that told her that she was actually something extraordinary, something beyond the conceivable walls of her normal life in London: a witch. That she wasn't somehow imagining the strange occurrences around her, but that they were actually the seeds of magic planted deep within her that wanted nothing but to flow out of her hands. The letter thrust her into a whole new world, with a place called Hogwarts, where she would learn how to control and use the magic dwelling within her. But first, the letter said, she would need robes, a wand, a cauldron, a collection of magical tidbits, and no shortage of textbooks. There are actually textbooks about magic! Tzuyu remembers entering the shop and being in complete awe of the sheer number of books about more subjects than she could wrap her head around, some of them with strange names like Transfiguration, Herbology, Arithmancy, and the like. Her parents accompanied her through the brick wall of the Leaky Cauldron into this strange world, where she entered each shop and quietly watched for others like her before emulating their actions.

That's exactly what she plans to do – watch – as she, alongside every other first-year, is about to be Sorted into their houses. She follows the boy in front of her in silence as Headmistress McGonagall, strict but kind-looking and welcoming, leads them into the Great Hall. It's already packed with students sitting at four different tables; Tzuyu looks up at the banners fluttering gently above each and sees a scarlet and gold lion – Gryffindor, Headmistress McGonagall says – next to the black and yellow badger of Hufflepuff, the bronze and blue eagle of Ravenclaw, and the silver and green serpent of Slytherin. At the tables, students who range from old and experienced to not much older than herself watch them eagerly, some of them pointing out a sibling or an acquaintance among the line of first-years. Then they stop and all attention is drawn to Headmistress McGonagall, who approaches the stool at the center of the stage and places upon it a very dusty, very old pointed hat.

The headmistress steps back and waves her wand, the scroll levitating in front of her coming neatly unwound as she does so. Then she puts on her glasses and the Sorting begins with the first name called:

"Adams, Henry!"

Tzuyu watches closely as Henry Adams, a short boy with mousey brown hair and nervous eyes, steps out of line and walks slowly towards the hat. He sits down on the stool and puts the hat over his head tentatively; the whole hall waits in anticipatory silence. She eyes the hat nervously, waiting for something to happen as it apparently sorts Henry Adams. After around 30 seconds, the rip in the front of the hat opens to form a mouth, which gleefully shouts "RAVENCLAW!" The table of bronze and blue applauds loudly as Henry makes his way over to him and the next name is called.

The process repeats itself a few times and leaves Tzuyu confused each time. She knows what she has to do beforehand, simply walk over to the hat and put it on her head, but what happens afterwards? Are there questions she has to answer?

All of these musings come to an abrupt halt as Professor McGonagall clears her throat and calls out the next name. Tzuyu suddenly realizes that the boy that was in front of her is no longer there, instead settling in at the Gryffindor table. For the briefest of moments she panics, and then the next name is called out.

"Chou, Tzuyu!"

Tzuyu feels the weight of all of the eyes in the Great Hall on her as she walks straight-backed to the Sorting Hat. After a moment's hesitation, she takes a seat on the stool and places the hat on her head.

"So, Tzuyu Chou, is it?" She almost jumps as a voice echoes in her mind, a voice that surely doesn't sound anything like any voice she's ever heard. A second later, she realizes that it's the voice of the hat – it's actually talking to her. No wonder she hadn't been able to figure out what was happening with the other first-years, the hat had been silently talking to them before it made its decision.

It seems as if the hat can almost sense her uncertainty because its next words are a reassuring "Don't worry, you're not the first one to be new here, and you're certainly not the last."

"Well well, let's see here, where should we put you?" The hat asks. Tzuyu, not sure how to answer, stays silent, which seems to be right as the hat quietly muses to itself without waiting for a word from her. "You're quiet, I don't need eyes to see that, but underneath that there's plenty of warmth just bubbling under the surface. Hard work and dedication too, a great fit into Hufflepuff no doubt. But what's this? Plenty of courage and bravery in that heart too, maybe Gryffindor is your calling. Intelligence too, a staple of Ravenclaw. And of course, that thirst to prove yourself, a spark of ambition to be great. Slytherin too? My my, I haven't had a decision this hard to make in a while!"

The hat crosses Hufflepuff and Gryffindor off from its selections fairly quickly, though for no fault of her own, it assures her. It goes back and forth between Ravenclaw and Slytherin for quite a while, its words spinning around in her head as it deliberates. If that wasn't enough to make her nervous, she suddenly becomes aware of the stares of the other students crossing over into incredulity, quiet murmurs whispering all around the Great Hall as they watch her with the hat on her head. Every second she sits with the hat on her head is a second where the whispers grow louder and her hands go to anxiously grip the edge of the stool, fingers digging into the wood to steady herself.

When the hat eventually opens its brim and announces "SLYTHERIN!", Tzuyu rips it off with all of the dignity she can muster, the weight of the stares unbearably heavy. The murmurs don't stop as she leaves the stool and the applause is somewhat scattered amongst the turning of heads and gesturing of hands. Glad it's over, Tzuyu looks over to the Slytherin table, expecting welcoming smiles, but is instead met with a mix of incredulous eyes and cold glares that make her even more unsettled than the experience with the hat.

\--

"Don't pay any attention to them."

Tzuyu looks at the girl seated next to her at the table and vaguely remembers her scooting down the bench to make space for Tzuyu to squeeze in. Around them, the silvery clattering of forks and knives tinkles around the Great Hall, interspersed with animated conversation and the occasional laugh.

"Tzuyu, was it?" Tzuyu swallows hesitantly before nodding. The girl smiles kindly, exposing warm eyes and a bunny smile. "I'm Nayeon, one of the Slytherin prefects." She shifts her long, dark, wavy brown hair over her shoulders to where Tzuyu can see a small badge shining on her chest next to the silver and green snake.

"It–It's nice to meet you, Nayeon-sunbaenim." Tzuyu says hesitantly, remembering what her parents taught her a long time ago about Korean-language etiquette.

"Call me unnie, Tzuyu-ah, we'll be getting to know each other a lot more in the coming years."

"It's nice to meet you, Nayeon-unnie," Tzuyu corrects, to which Nayeon laughs softly.

"Tell me about yourself." Nayeon says with a smile between bites of food. Tzuyu hesitates. She's been asked questions similar to that statement quite a few times in the part few hours, though they always seemed to be asked with a bite behind them, as if the ones asking took one look at the way she uncertainly held her wand or was a step behind everyone else and instantly knew that she was an outsider. But Nayeon's eyes shine with nothing but pure curiosity and incredible kindness and Tzuyu feels steady enough to respond.

"I'm normal, really, or I guess I was," She says carefully. "My parents own their own company, they sell medicine in the... other world." At this, she hears more than a few unfriendly snickers, but Nayeon glares at the few housemates she sees trying to hide their laughs and they turn away to bother someone else.

"Don't worry about them, they'll learn eventually." Nayeon says as she turns her attention back to Tzuyu, frowning when she sees that Tzuyu's shoulders hang lower and her eyes are trained to her plate.

"Unnie, I don't belong here." Her voice cracks dryly, barely audible and thick as she desperately tries to hold back the tears building up at the back of her throat. She can't cry, not now.

"Of course you belong here," Nayeon says. "The Sorting Hat put you here."

"No, the Sorting Hat must have made some sort of mistake. I'm not like the rest of you, I'm not –"

"A Pureblood?" Nayeon interrupts for the first time. Tzuyu finds it hard to see clearly through the tears she's desperately blinking back, but Nayeon's eyes are cloudy with something akin to disappointment.

"Tzuyu-ah, look at me," Nayeon says flatly. "Whatever people on the train or at Diagon Alley told you about Slytherin being only for Purebloods and old Wizarding families, it's completely untrue. Anyone can belong to Slytherin, just like anyone can belong to any of the other houses."

"But then why are they looking at me like I'm something... bad?"

"They're all following old, outdated words that their parents force fed them when they were little children. They don't know anything else, and they never will.

"Honestly, I don't know where the idea that Muggleborns can't be as great as Purebloods or Halfbloods comes from. There are so many examples of Muggleborns being just as talented as those whose families know nothing if not magic, and even more so. I mean, the current Minister of Magic is Muggleborn, for Merlin's sake! And one of my friends is Muggleborn, and she's one of the most talented witches I've ever seen."

"Really?"

"Really. I'll introduce you to my friends tomorrow, I think you'll like them."

There's silence for a while before Nayeon takes a breath and speaks again, this time a little softer and lower, as if it's something between just herself and Tzuyu.

"Sometimes it's hard being in this house. There are a lot of people who resist change, who don't like that they're not automatically better than everyone else simply because of their heritage. There is a lot of resentment, hatred, prejudice, ignorance. And for those of us that stand up to it, that choose to live on the light instead of sinking down to them, we're sometimes not really all that welcome.

"But fighting all of that adversity, fighting for what you believe in, or fighting for what you are, that only makes you stronger."

There's something that shines in Nayeon's eyes that makes Tzuyu desperately want to believe.

"After all, Slytherin is all about ambition, about becoming something greater than what you are at the start."

Nayeon wants her to believe.

"What better way to do that, if not by facing fire?"

So she does.

\--

"Tzuyu-ah, these are my friends." Nayeon says the next day, an arm around Tzuyu's shoulder as she leads her over to the Ravenclaw table. From the end of the table, seven smiles and waves are directed her way; she notices the colors of the robes the girls adorn are different, with splashes of each house among them. "And it seems you're not the only new one among us." Tzuyu notices a familiar face, that of a short girl with a black bob and dimples that she recognizes from the Sorting.  She gives a small wave and the girl waves back, a friendly smile on her face. 

“Ah, so you’re the new hatstall!” A girl with brown hair spanning past her shoulder says animatedly. 

“What’s a… hatstall?” 

“Oh,” Nayeon laughs. “I probably should have told you about that. A hatstall is someone who the Sorting Hat takes more than 5 minutes to sort. So a lot of those looks that you were getting last night or this morning, most of them are probably because of that. Hatstalls are pretty rare, usually there's only one every 60 years or so."

_ "Usually?" _

"Yeah, we kind of break the trend, don't we," The brown-haired girl says with a laugh. "I'm Sana, I was a hatstall too. Almost lasted as long as you did before the hat put me in Hufflepuff. For me it could have been any of the four, really. What about you, Tzuyu?"

"Slytherin and Ravenclaw."

"Ooh, we almost had another smart one," A tall girl with scarlet and gold on her robes says before introducing herself as Jeongyeon. "Good to know Mina won't be the only sane one here."

Across the table, a Ravenclaw with long black hair covers her face as if embarrassed, though her shoulders shake with laughter. Mina, Tzuyu thinks. She must be the one Nayeon-unnie said was one of the most talented witches she's ever met.

As everyone introduces themselves and makes room for Tzuyu to sit at the table, she finds herself next to the Ravenclaw third year.

"It's nice to meet you, Tzuyu-ah." Mina says with a soft smile.

"Mina-unnie, Nayeon-unnie said you're Muggleborn?" Tzuyu says after a moment.

Mina nods her head in affirmation, fixing her eyes gently on Tzuyu. 

"What's it like?" Tzuyu asks plainly, not really sure how to phrase her question.

Mina seems to understand exactly what Tzuyu wants to know.

"You're no different to anyone else here," she says fiercely. Tzuyu doesn't notice it, but all around their corner, everyone else nods fervently to Mina's words.

Tzuyu listens silently, hangs on to every syllable that escapes from Mina's lips.

"You're no different to anyone else here, and don't let any of them tell you otherwise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week was awful and this is my happy place.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This is inspired by some great TWICE x Hogwarts fics here on ao3. Any mistakes are entirely my own.
> 
> All comments are greatly appreciated :) Find me on twitter @seulgified97 and feel free to stop by at my cc @orange_creamsicle


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